Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala's wife passes away after brief illness

Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s wife Sneh Lata passed away on Sunday at a private hospital in Gurgaon, said a party leader. She was 81, he added.

The condition of the former chief minister’s wife had turned critical earlier during the day when she was put on a ventilator in the hospital’s ICU, senior Indian National Lok Dal leader Ashok Arora said over phone.

Sneh Lata’s end came in the absence of her husband Om Prakash Chautala, who is serving a jail term, following his conviction in teachers’ recruitment scam in the state.

The octogenarian woman’s son and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala was addressing a rally in Charkhi Dadri when he learnt about his mother’s critical health conditions and rushed to Gurgaon, said Arera.

Sneh Lata was earlier hospitalised in January but was discharged after a few days, said Arora, adding she was admitted to the Gurgaon hospital again a few days ago following complaints of breathlessness and other health complications.

He said the last rites of the former CM’s departed wife would be performed at the Chautala family’s native place Teja Khera in Sirsa district on Monday afternoon.

Haryana’s Finance Minister Abhimanyu condoled the death of the former chief minister’s wife, saying he prays the Almighty to give peace to the departed soul and “the courage to the family members to bear the tragic loss”.

Chautala’s grandson Dushyant Chautala had last year floated Jannayak Janata Party following a vertical split in the INLD following a festering feud in the family.