Ex-minister Satpal Sangwan dies at 83

Former Haryana minister Satpal Sangwan passed away last night at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was 83 and had been battling liver cancer.

A prominent leader in Haryana politics, Sangwan was elected twice to the Haryana Assembly — first in 1996 and then in 2009. He contested six consecutive Assembly elections from Charkhi Dadri and also served as a minister. At present, his son, Suneel Sangwan, is the BJP MLA from Charkhi Dadri.

Before entering politics, Satpal Sangwan worked as an SDO in the telecommunications department. His political journey began in 1996 when former Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal encouraged him to contest the elections. He was fielded as a candidate from Charkhi Dadri under the banner of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP). Known for his determined approach to development, Bansi Lal fondly referred to him as a "Bulldozer."

In 2009, he secured his second Assembly win, this time on a Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) ticket. Later, after HJC merged with Congress, he became part of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led government and served as the Minister for Cooperatives.

Although he contested the 2019 Assembly election as a JJP candidate, he distanced himself from the party during the farmers’ agitation. In 2024, he joined the BJP.

Satpal Sangwan was deeply connected to his constituency and remained engaged with the people of Charkhi Dadri throughout his political career. Unlike many politicians who push their children into politics, he often expressed pride in his grandchildren serving the nation. His grandson, Manav Sangwan, serves in the Indian Army, while his granddaughter, Navya Sangwan, is a lieutenant in the medical corps.