Former minister Ch Jagjit Singh dead

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, August 4

Five-time legislator and former Congress minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh (81) died following a cardiac arrest this morning.

A prominent Dalit leader of the party, Chaudhary was reportedly fine till this morning. “He got up at 4.30 am, had his bed tea and later complained of some uneasiness. We took him to a private hospital where he breathed his last,” said his nephew and Punjab Youth Congress chief Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary.

Jagjit Singh had started his political career as sarpanch of Dhaliwal village here. He remained a chairman of block samiti, MD of Cooperative Bank and chairman of market committee before jumping into state politics as MLA of Kartarpur Assembly in 1980. He got re-elected as MLA in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2002.

He became a minister in the Beant Singh government with portfolios of urban development and housing and that of social welfare. He was Cooperative Minister in 1996 and became the Leader of Opposition in 1997. As Capt Amarinder Singh’s loyalist in 2002, he got the prime portfolio as the Local Bodies Minister.

Leaders express grief

Chandigarh: Leaders of different political parties expressed grief over the veteran Congress leader’s death.

CM Parkash Singh Badal said Chaudhary Jagjit Singh was a votary of the down-trodden and oppressed sections of society. Others who offered condolence included AICC general secretary and in charge of Punjab affairs Dr Shakeel Ahmed, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC president Partap Bajwa, former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar and former minister Santosh Chaudhary.

Govt offices closed

All offices of the state government, Board and corporations remained closed for the second-half today as a tribute to the former minister.