Haryana leader Bhajan Lal passes away

Former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, who used to represent the non-Jat force in the caste-politics ridden state, died on Friday after a heart attack. He was 80.

Bhajan Lal, who also a central minister in the past, was the chief minister of the Haryana state twice from Congress party, his first term from June 28, 1979 to July 5, 1985, and his second term from July 23, 1991 to May 11, 1996.

He had held at the centre the Agriculture and Environments & Forest portfolios during Rajiv Gandhi’s administration.

He left behind two sons, both politicians.

Of his sons, Chander Mohan Bishnoi had converted to Islam some years back so that he could marry his “love”, and became Chand Mohammad , but eventually converted back to Hinduism in 2009. His other son is Kuldeep Bishnoi.

Formerly a Congress politician, Lal in 2007 formed the Haryana Janhit Congress following a rift with the party and suspension of his son Bishnoi.

Bhajan Lal fought Lok Sabha election from Hissar and defeated two prominent politicians of Haryana politics, Sampat Singh and Jai Parkash in 2009.