Om Prakash Chautala, former Haryana chief minister and supremo of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), passed away on Friday at 89. He had been battling prolonged illness and respiratory issues for several years and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Gurgaon.
According to family sources, Chautala breathed his last around 12 pm on Friday. “On Friday, his condition suddenly deteriorated and he was rushed to the emergency ward of a private hospital at 11:35 am. The hospital administration confirmed his demise shortly after his admission,” said a family member.
His cremation is expected to take place on Saturday in his native village, Chautala, in the Sirsa district of Haryana. Born on January 1, 1935, in Chautala, Chautala was the son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal and served as Haryana’s chief minister across five terms.
Chautala first assumed office as Haryana’s chief minister on December 2, 1989, serving until 22 May 1990. He was reappointed CM on July 12, 1990, following the sudden removal of then-CM Banarsi Das Gupta, though he had to resign just five days later. His third term began on April 22, 1991, but it was cut short after two weeks when the central government imposed President’s Rule in the state.
Chautala returned to power as CM in July 1999, serving until March 2005, with his tenure marked by his commitment to serving the people of Haryana.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed his grief over Chautala’s passing, calling his death an “irreplaceable loss” to Haryana and Indian politics.
“I am deeply saddened by the demise of INLD Supremo and former chief minister, Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala Ji. I offer my heartfelt tribute to him. He devoted his life to serving both the state and society, and his loss is irreplaceable for the politics of Haryana and the nation. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant strength to his grieving family to endure this sorrow,” CM Saini wrote on X.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also extended his condolences, stating, “The news of the demise of former Haryana chief minister and senior leader Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala is sad. He made a significant contribution to the service of Haryana and the country. In this hour of grief, we express our deepest condolences to his family and supporters and pray for the peace of the departed soul.”
Former Haryana CM and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed his sadness, calling Chautala a good person and a respected elder.
“When Om Prakash ji was the CM, I was the LoP. We had good relations. He served people. He was still active. It didn’t feel that he would leave us so soon. He was a good person and like an older brother to me,” Hooda remarked.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi described Chautala’s passing as a major loss to Haryana’s farmers and his countless supporters.
“His demise is an irreparable loss for lakhs and crores of his supporters. Today, farmers of Haryana have become helpless, when they needed the leadership and direction of Chautala ji the most,” Tyagi said.
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