Former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala passed away on Friday at the age of 89. Chautala breathed his last at his residence in Gurugram, leaving behind a legacy of four terms as Chief Minister and a lifetime dedicated to politics.
Born in January 1935, Chautala was the son of Chaudhary Devi Lal, who served as India’s 6th Deputy Prime Minister. Following in his father’s footsteps, Chautala became a towering figure in Indian politics. He held the Chief Minister’s office in Haryana four times, beginning in December 1989. His final term spanned from 1999 to 2005, marking him as a seasoned and influential leader in the state’s political landscape.
Despite his significant contributions, Chautala’s political career was marred by controversies. In 2013, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a recruitment scam related to the appointment of junior basic teachers in Haryana during 1999–2000. At the age of 87, he became the oldest prisoner in Delhi’s Tihar Jail before his release in 2021.
Chautala’s passing has elicited an outpouring of grief and condolences from political leaders across party lines. Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed his sorrow, calling Chautala an elder brother. “When Om Prakash ji was the CM, I was the LoP…We had good relations. He served people. He was still active. It didn’t feel that he would leave us so soon. He was a good person and like an older brother to me,” Hooda said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also mourned Chautala’s demise, acknowledging his “significant contribution to the service of Haryana and the country.” JD(U) leader KC Tyagi called the loss “irreparable” for Chautala’s supporters and highlighted his impact on Haryana’s farming community. “Today, farmers of Haryana have become helpless,” Tyagi remarked.
