By Pawan Khera and Manish Khanduri
The Bharat Jodo Yatra was struck by tragedy with the sudden demise of Congress leader Santokh Singh Chaudhary. Chaudhary, 76, was walking in the Yatra in the morning session from Ladowal to the midday break at Goraya, Jalandhar when he collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital in Phagwara, but was declared dead on arrival.
Chaudhary was twice an MP from Jalandhar, and three time MLA from Punjab. He was also a minister in the Congress governments in 1992 and 2002.
Chaudhary came from a family with deep political roots. Son of former Punjab agriculture minister Master Gurbanta Singh, he was also brother of former minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh. He is survived by his wife, Karamjit Kaur, and son Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, MLA from Phillaur in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
The #BharatJodoYatra was suspended for 24 hours as a mark of respect. It will resume on the afternoon of the 15th.
We mourn the passing of a pillar of the Congress Party, and a fellow Yatri. The below tweet by Congress President expresses it best:
