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Devi Lal is dead

Former deputy prime minister Devi Lal died in New Delhi on Friday at 1730 hours after a brief illness. He was 86.

He was earlier in a serious condition in a hospital.

Devi Lal was undergoing treatment for a cardiac problem in Apollo Hospital, but developed complications during the day and was "seriously sick", doctors attending on him said.

He is survived by three sons, including Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

The grand old man of Indian politics breathed his last around 1850 hours IST, UNI said. His grandson Ajay Chautala was among those who were at his bedside when the end came.

Devi Lal was deputy prime minister in the cabinet of V P Singh and Chandra Shekhar.

The Haryana chief minister has rushed to the capital cancelling his official assignments. His other two surviving sons Ranjit Singh and Pratap Singh also came to Delhi.

Devi Lal was at a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana.

Born on September 14, 1914 at Chautala village in Sirsa district of Haryana, he served as chief minister of Haryana for two terms between 1977 and 1980 and 1987 and 1989. He was a member of undivided Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1952 and 1962, and Haryana Legislative Assembly in 1974, 1977, 1982, 1985 and 1987.

The Jat leader made his maiden entry to Lok Sabha in 1980 and was re-elected in 1989, when he was appointed deputy prime minister in the National Front Government.

Born to Chaudhary Lekh Ram and Shaguni Devi, Devi Lal did his schooling from Dev Samaj High School, Moga and married Harki Devi.

He joined the freedom struggle in 1929 at the age of 15 while studying in Class X at the call of Mahatma Gandhi.

He participated in Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movements and believed in the Gandhian philosophy of uplifting rural masses.

He also participated in the 1946 Mujara agitation of landless farmers, Kisan Movement in 1972 and Haryana Bachao in 1985.

Devi Lal was president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in 1958, Janata Dal-Secular in 1990, Janata Dal Parliamentary Board in 1988-90 and Samajwadi Janata Party in 1991-95. Besides, he was also Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1963.

He had special interest in rural causes, welfare of farmers and villagers.

Agencies

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