Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala cremated with state honours

Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was cremated on Saturday with full state honours in Teja Khera village in his native Sirsa district.

Chautala, who was a five-time chief minister, died in Gurugram on Friday. He was 89.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal reached Teja Khera to attend the last rites of the departed leader.

Many Haryana ministers, state Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, former Union minister Venod Sharma, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, BJP's Manpreet Badal and Manjinder Singh Sirsa and several other leaders also reached Teja Khera to pay their last respects.

Political leaders cutting across parties laid floral wreaths to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Earlier, Chautala's mortal remains were Saturday kept at the family's Teja Khera farmhouse here for people to pay their last respects to the departed Indian National Lok Dal chief. His body was wrapped in the Indian Tricolour and decked with garlands.

An INLD spokesperson said Chautala was rushed to a hospital after his health worsened on Friday.

Om Prakash Chautala's younger son Abhay Singh Chautala, an INLD leader, elder son Ajay Singh Chautala, who heads the JJP party, and other family members, including former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, ex-CM Chautala's brother Ranjit Chautala, were present in Teja Khera.

The funeral pyre was lit amid chants of Vedic hymns by priests.

Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kumari Selja had reached the Chautala farmhouse in the morning to pay their last respects to the five-time chief minister.

Common people also gathered in the village in large numbers to attend the cremation.

The Haryana government declared a three-day state mourning on Friday. It has also declared Saturday a public holiday in all its offices as a mark of respect.

Shortly after laying a wreath, Dhankhar, who was seated next to Chautala's younger son Abhay Chautala and SAD leader Sukhbir Badal, said, "Yesterday I got the news (of the demise). Five days back, I spoke to Chaudhary sahib and he was inquiring about my health. He was more concerned about me".

"Whenever I got the chance, I got his blessings," he said.

The vice president added that farmers' issues and development of villages was Chautala's priority.

He made it clear the country's development, peace and progress is linked to the development of farmers and villages, Dhankar said.

Such an outspoken and a bold person, Chautala was dedicated to the rural system, he added.