Militant-turned-politician Bilal Ahmad Khan alias Bilal Lodhi, an independent candidate from Beerwah constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, died of cardiac arrest on Saturday.
Lodhi, a former MLC, had gone for a private meeting in Beerwah town when he suffered a massive heart attack, official sources said.
45-year-old Lodhi was rushed to nearby Magam hospital where he was declared dead, they said.
Lodhi, who had joined People's Democratic party (PDP) after quitting militancy in 1990s, was elected to the Legislative Council following the victory of the regional party in 2002 elections.
He, however, resigned from PDP and joined National Conference earlier this year and was expelled from the membership of the legislative council by the chief whip of the PDP Nizamuddin Bhat.
Lodhi had challenged the expulsion in the state High Court and the case is still subjudice.
However, Lodhi parted ways with National Conference also as he was denied mandate for the ongoing assembly elections in the state and filed papers as an independent candidate.
Beerwah and 17 other constituencies are scheduled to go to polls in the fourth phase of elections on December 7.