Bhajan Lal

Bhajan Lal (6 October 1930 – 3 June 2011) was a politician and two-time chief minister from the northern Indian state of Haryana.

Early life

Bhajan Lal was born on October 6, 1930 in Koranwali, Bahawalpur District, now in Punjab (Pakistan) in a Bishnois sub-caste, and has two sons, Chander Mohan Bishnoi and Kuldeep Bishnoi. He started his political career by becoming a 'Panch' in the Adampur Gram Panchayat.

Political career

Bhajan Lal was the chief minister of the Haryana state twice, 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 also served as a union cabinet minister at the centre, holding the Agriculture and Environments & Forest portfolios during Rajiv Gandhi's administration.

The victory of the Indian National Congress in Haryana's 2005 elections caused a major rift in its state unit, as it opted to make Bhupinder Hooda, a Jat, the Chief Minister instead of Bhajan.^[1] In 2007, Lal officially announced he would form a new party, called the Haryana Janhit Congress. The key event that brought this about was the suspension of his son Kuldeep Bishnoi from the Indian National Congress, for criticizing the party's central leaders.^[2]

2009 Lok Sabha Elections

Bhajan Lal fought election from Hissar and defeated two prominent politicians of Haryana politics, Sampat Singh and Jai Parkash in a high profile battle.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Bhajan Lal died on Friday, 3 June 2011 in Hisar following a massive heart attack. He died at a private nursing home in Hisar.^[3][4]

References