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NEW DELHI: Om Prakash Chautala, the former Chief Minister of Haryana and leader of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), passed away on Friday at the age of 89 at his residence in Gurugram. He suffered a cardiac arrest at his Gurugram home. Chautala was a prominent figure in Indian politics and had served as the Chief Minister of Haryana for a record four terms, starting in December 1989, with his final term spanning from 1999 to 2005.
Born in January 1935 in the village of Chautala, Om Prakash Chautala followed in his father’s political footsteps. His father, Chaudhary Devi Lal, played a significant role in the creation of Haryana in 1966 and served as the state’s Chief Minister and later as India’s Deputy Prime Minister. Chautala’s political career began in 1970 when he was elected to Haryana’s legislative assembly as a member of the Janata Dal (People’s Party).
इनेलो सुप्रीमो एवं हरियाणा के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री चौधरी ओमप्रकाश चौटाला जी का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद है।
मेरी ओर से उन्हें विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि।
उन्होंने प्रदेश और समाज की जीवनपर्यंत सेवा की।देश व हरियाणा प्रदेश की राजनीति के लिए यह अपूरणीय क्षति है।
प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि… pic.twitter.com/58JMF1hkDb
— Nayab Saini (@NayabSainiBJP) December 20, 2024
Chautala’s tenure as Chief Minister was marked by both achievements and controversies. He was awarded a four-year jail term in a 16-year-old disproportionate assets case on May 27, 2022, by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court which made him the oldest prisoner in Delhi’s Tihar Jail at the age of 87. He was released in 2020. Additionally, he was sentenced to 10 years in 2013 for a scam involving the appointment of junior basic teachers in Haryana during 1999–2000 and was released from Tihar Jail in July 2021 after serving nine and a half years.
Chautala’s personal life was also marked by tragedy. His wife, Sneh Lata, passed away in August 2019. He is survived by three daughters and two sons, including Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala. Abhay Singh Chautala is an MLA from the Ellenabad constituency of Haryana and has served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Legislative Assembly from October 2014 to March 2019. Om Prakash Chautala’s grandson, Dushyant Chautala, is the leader of the Jannayak Janata Party and has served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana. He is also a former Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from the Hisar constituency.
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Chautala’s political journey saw him elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1987, serving until 1990. He became Haryana’s Chief Minister in December 1989, replacing his father, who had been appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of India. However, he had to step down in May 1990 after failing to secure a seat in the state assembly within the required six months. He later won a by-election and briefly served as Chief Minister again in 1990-91.
After the Congress Party won the 1991 elections in Haryana, Chautala entered the assembly through a by-election in 1993. In 1995, he resigned in protest against a deal to share Haryana’s water with neighbouring states. Chautala won a seat in the 1996 elections and became the opposition leader. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) was formed in 1998. In 1999, after the Haryana Vikas Party lost its majority, Chautala became Chief Minister for a fourth time.
Om Prakash Chautala’s legacy is a mix of political achievements and legal battles, reflecting the complexities of his long and storied career. His contributions to Haryana’s political landscape and his enduring influence will be remembered.
