CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Former Haryana Chief Minister and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala passed away at the age of 89. On Friday, he was at his residence in Gurgaon when he suffered a heart attack. He was rushed to Medanta Hospital at 11:30 AM but breathed his last at 12 noon. Chautala served as Haryana’s Chief Minister five times.
This evening (December 20), Chautala’s mortal remains will be taken to his ancestral village, Chautala, in Sirsa. His body will be kept for public viewing, followed by the last rites in the village.
Legacy of OP Chautala
Born on January 1, 1935, OP Chautala was the eldest of five children of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. Despite leaving school early, Chautala completed his 10th and 12th-grade education while serving a prison sentence in Tihar Jail in 2013 during the teacher recruitment scam.
Political Journey
Chautala’s political career began in 1968 when he contested his first election from the traditional stronghold of his father, Ellenabad. However, he lost to Lal Chand Khod of the Vishal Haryana Party, led by former CM Rao Birender Singh.
Undeterred by the loss, Chautala challenged the election results in court, which ultimately disqualified Lal Chand after a year. In the 1970 by-election, Chautala contested on a Janata Dal ticket and won, marking the beginning of his legislative career.
From MLA to CM
In the 1987 Haryana Assembly elections, the Lok Dal, led by Chautala’s father Devi Lal, won 60 of the 90 seats. Devi Lal became CM for the second time but later moved to the central government as Deputy Prime Minister under PM VP Singh’s government. Subsequently, OP Chautala was chosen as Haryana’s Chief Minister by the Lok Dal legislators, beginning his tenure in state politics.
Chautala’s life and political journey reflect a mix of resilience, leadership, and controversies, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Haryana’s political landscape.
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