Sun Dec 22 00:49:06 UTC 2024: **Veteran Haryana Leader Om Prakash Chautala Passes Away at 89**

Chandigarh, Haryana – Om Prakash Chautala, a five-time Chief Minister of Haryana and a prominent figure in Indian politics, passed away on Friday at the age of 89. He suffered a heart attack after experiencing breathing difficulties in Gurugram. His death has plunged Haryana into mourning, with the state government declaring three days of state mourning and declaring a public holiday on Saturday.

Chautala, the founder of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), held a significant position in Haryana’s political landscape for decades. He served as Chief Minister five times, was a seven-time MLA representing five different constituencies, and also served in the Rajya Sabha and as Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Legislative Assembly. His political career spanned over five decades.

His final rites were performed on Saturday afternoon in his ancestral village of Chautala in Sirsa. The ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries, including Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister Anil Vij, and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. His body was kept at his farmhouse earlier in the day to allow the public to pay their respects.

The state government’s response to Chautala’s death included the cancellation of the state-level Rakhigarhi Mahotsav, a three-day festival, out of respect. Schools across Haryana were also closed on Saturday. Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum, remembering Chautala’s contributions to rural development, education, and infrastructure in the state. His sons, Ajay Singh and Abhay Singh, performed the last rites.

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