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Jalandhar Congress MP’s death leaves Punjab leaders shocked
Leaders made a beeline for the residence of Lok Sabha member Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Saturday
Leaders made a beeline for the residence of Lok Sabha member Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Saturday.
Also watch: Video | Congress MP walking with Rahul Gandhi before he died during Yatra
Gandhi, who suspended the foot march immediately after the Chaudhary’s death, met the grieving family and around 40 minutes at their Vijay Nagar house in Jalandhar.
Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were present.
Sonia writes to grieving family
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi sent a condolence message to Chaudhary’s wife Karamjit Kaur, a retired DPI (colleges), in which she said she was deeply grieved at the sudden passing away of the party MP during the “historic” Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“I can understand how painful it is to separate from your partner after decades of togetherness but one has to accept destiny,” she wrote, adding “Chaudhary Santokh Singh remained committed to the Congress ideology and served society while following its ideals and philosophy. The void created by his death will never be filled.”
Difficult to believe, says Pargat
Jalandhar Cantt MLA and Olympian Pargat Singh said that the proposed hockey match at Lyallpur Khalsa College ground, during which some veteran sportspersons were to interact with Gandhi, had been cancelled due to the sudden death of Chaudhary.
“Together, we were reviewing the arrangements for the yatra’s Jalandhar leg. It is difficult to believe that he is not more with us”, said Pargat Singh.
He said the party will resume the march after the cremation on Sunday but there will be no sloganeering or playing of music.
Elected to Lok Sabha twice
Chaudhary belonged to a prominent Dalit family of Doaba. His father, Master Gurbanta Singh, a Dalit icon of Punjab, who dominated the political scene of the region for decades. Chaudhary’s elder brother Jagjit Singh remained a five-time MLA. His son, Vikramjit Singh, is the MLA from Phillaur.
Chaudhary was elected to the Punjab assembly twice, in 1992 and 2002. He was a minister of state and a cabinet minister in the Congress governments. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019.
