Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala (image-Facebook/Ch. Om Prakash Chautala)

Haryana: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) president and former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala died on Friday afternoon at his Gurugram residence. Chautala was 89.

He was rushed to the hospital after suffering from a cardiac arrest at his Gurugram residence but could not be saved, a spokesperson told PTI.

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Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini expressed his condolences and said, “With his demise, a chapter of Haryana politics has come to an end. His contribution to Haryana politics will always be remembered.” Remembering the former state CM’s contributions, Saini added, “Chautala ji’s personality was a symbol of simplicity and struggle. He was a visionary leader. His demise has deeply saddened not only his family but the entire state. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give patience and strength to his family in this hour of grief.”

The INLD leader was last seen in public during the voting of the Haryana Assembly elections held on October 5.

On 27 May 2022, he received a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, becoming the oldest prisoner of Tihar jail in Delhi. He was 87 at the time.

In 2013, a Delhi court sentenced him and his son, Ajay Singh Chautala, to ten years after the court found them guilty of illegally recruiting over 3,000 unqualified teachers. His sentence was upheld by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He was released in 2021.

A five-time chief minister of Haryana, Chautala was the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. Chautala was first sworn in as the chief minister of the state in December 1989 when he served as a member of the Janata Dal.

He then served two brief terms as the chief minister of Haryana between July 1990 and April 1991.

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After founding the INLD in 1996, he served another two consecutive terms as chief minister from July 1999 to 2005.

His wife, Sneha Lata, died in August 2019. Chautala is survived by his three daughters and two sons, Abhay Singh Chautala (Ellenabad MLA) and Ajay Singh Chautala, and his grandson Dushyant Chautala. Dushyant is the leader of the Jannayak Janata Party and was the former deputy chief minister of Haryana.