Cong MP Santokh Chaudhary dies; Bharat Jodo Yatra halted

Congress’s Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary died on Saturday (January 14) after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, following which the march was halted. He was 76.

The two-time MP was taking part in the Rahul Gandhi-led march in Phillaur in Jalandhar where he fainted, said senior party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, who was also marching in the yatra. He said Chaudhary was rushed to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance.

The yatra was halted following Chaudhary’s death and it is learned that Rahul Gandhi has gone to the hospital.

Also read: What next after Bharat Jodo Yatra? Cong draws up future strategies

Earlier in the morning, the yatra resumed from Ladhowal in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the death of the Congress MP.
“I am deeply saddened at the untimely death of Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, Santokh Singh Chaudhary,” he said in a tweet in Punjabi.

Former Congress leader Amarinder Singh also condoled Chaudhary’s death. “Extremely saddened to hear about the sudden demise of MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary ji due to a heart attack today. My heartfelt condolences are with his entire family in their time of grief. May Waheguru Ji grant eternal peace to the departed soul,” said Singh in his tweet.

Several Congress leaders have gone to the hospital.

The Punjab leg of the march began on Wednesday (January 11) from Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib.

(With agency inputs)