Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar have expressed grief over the demise of Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon today.
Tandon, who was one of the founder members of the BJP's parent organisation Jan Sangh, died after suffering a heart attack in Raipur today. He was 90.
He became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014.
Condoling the demise, Amarinder Singh said that in Tandon's death, Punjab as well as the country has lost a seasoned administrator and grassroots leader.
Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family, Singh said his prayers were with them in their hour of grief.
As a mark of respect, the Punjab government declared a half-day holiday this afternoon.
The government has also declared one day state mourning on August 16, an official spokesperson said.
In his condolence message, Haryana Chief Minister Khattar said that Tandon was a senior leader who devoted his whole life to inculcate value-based politics and stood by the poor and needy people.
Khattar conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed the Almighty to rest the soul in eternal peace.
Meanwhile, BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh said with the demise of Tandon, the party has not only lost a founder member of Jan Sangh, but a nationalist statesman and a "vocal leader of Punjab".
Tandon, with his commitment and sincerity, had created a special place for himself in the organization and earned the respect of each and everyone even across party lines, Chugh said.
"He was a leader who had always been a guiding light, an inspiration and was messiah for the workers of the party," he said, adding that it was a personal loss for him.
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