Congress veteran leader Balram Jakhar dead

NEW DELHI: Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar died in New Delhi this morning He was 92 Dr Jakhar passed away around 7 am at his residence in Delhi The body is being taken to Abohar in Punjab for cremation tomorrow

Updated At : 08:11 PM Feb 03, 2016 IST

Former Congress Union minister Balram Jakhar. A Tribune file photo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 3

Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar died in New Delhi this morning. He was 92. Dr Jakhar passed away around 7 am at his residence in Delhi.

The body is being taken to Abohar in Punjab for cremation tomorrow, his son and former Congress Legislature Party leader of Punjab Sunil Jakhar said.

Balram Jakhar is survived by two sons and two daughters.

The cremation will be held in the family village of Panchkosi in Abohar at 11 am on Thursday.

The former Lok Sabha Speaker and Governor of Madhya Pradesh was ailing for over a year following a brain stroke. He suffered respiratory arrest last month, according to Sunil Jakhar.

He served as the Speaker of Lok Sabha from 1980 to 1989. As Speaker of Lok Sabha he was instrumental in automation and computerisation of Parliamentary works. He also contributed to the establishment of Parliament Museum.

He was also the Governor of Madhya Pradesh from June 30, 2004 to May 30, 2009. He also served as the Union Agriculture Minister during former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government.

Condoling his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Jakhar was a popular leader who enriched Parliamentary democracy.

“Balram Jakhar ji was a popular leader who enriched our Parliamentary democracy in his long political journey. Saddened by his demise. RIP," he tweeted.