New Delhi: Some time in 2013, the media pressed Om Prakash Chautala on whether he or his sons would become the chief minister of Haryana, if the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) came to power the next year.
Chautala, then in his late seventies, responded in his inimitable, trademark rustic style. “Raj aur khaj karne ka maja to tabhi aata hai jab khud karo (The true joy of ruling, or to relieve from itch is only when it’s done by oneself),” he told the media.
That statement, in a way, defined one of the many facets of the five-time chief minister: Chautala believed in absolute power and was not in the habit of sharing power with others. During his tenure as the chief minister, the cabinet ministers were seemingly reduced to ornamental heads.
On Friday, Chautala passed away at the age of 89 after he suffered a heart attack. The seven-time MLA had been battling multiple ailments, including heart disease and diabetes. The INLD patriarch is survived by two sons and three daughters.
Free and Fair Journalism Will Continue to be Important in 2025
We need your support to sustain good journalism and empower us to deliver unhyphenated, hard-hitting news, insightful opinions, and ground reports.
His death marks the end of an era that saw a mix of towering leadership, grassroots connection, and controversies. Known for his unyielding resolve, rustic charm, and deep roots in Haryana’s agrarian society, Chautala leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered and debated for years to come.
When it came to power, a retired civil servant told The Print that Chautala was a terror among the bureaucrats because he was not in the habit of hearing no to any of his commands. “There was a joke that if an officer would get a call on his landline and the person from the other side would tell him that Chautala wants to speak, the officer would instantly stand up from his seat as a reflex action,” the officer recalled.
Though his sons Ajay and Abhay Chautala also wielded influence over the bureaucracy, it was said that their limits end where Chautala would start. Such was his style of functioning.
Sharp memory & health conscious
Blessed with an exceptional memory, Chautala rarely forgot the people he met and would always address them by their names. Those who knew him praised his memory, recalling how he would greet them years later as though they had just met.
His ability to recall names contributed to his popularity and made him respected not only among his supporters but also among media persons and even his political adversaries. This trait made him a remarkable leader, leaving a lasting impression on all those who crossed his path.
Another facet of the veteran leader was his robust outlook towards health. A teetotaler and vegetarian, Chautala would regularly go for a walk and do exercises despite his movements restricted by polio-affected legs.
Shamim Sharma, a retired college principal, who met Chautala at Delhi’s LNJP Hospital where he was admitted during the initial years of his sentencing in the Haryana teacher’s recruitment scam, remembers him walking briskly in the courtyard attached to his room in the hospital.
“It is very important to keep the body fit if one has to remain active in public life,” she recalls Chautala telling her.
Chautala was also known for his immense willpower and determination. Despite facing numerous political and personal challenges, including the split in the INLD with his elder son Ajay and grandsons Dushyant and Digvijay Chautala launching their own party in 2018, he demonstrated an unwavering resolve to remain active in public life and continue his political legacy.
His ability to rally supporters, even during adverse circumstances, reflected his deep connection with the masses and his resilience. Similarly, his willpower was particularly evident in his efforts to rebuild the INLD after electoral setbacks.
Just months before his death, he campaigned for his party’s candidates in the assembly elections held in October. The party ended with 2 seats this year. The INLD has been out of power in Haryana since 2005, when it was reduced to 9 seats.
Also Read: 1 deputy PM, 2 CMs, 5 MPs & 14 MLAs later, Chautala village still lags — ‘They don’t visit much’
The beginning & consolidation
Born on 1 January, 1935 at Chautala village in Haryana’s Sirsa district, Chautala was the eldest of the four sons of Chaudhary Devi Lal, the legendary Jat leader who twice became the deputy prime minister of India.
He was the first to have started writing his village Chautala’s name as his second name, though the family’s ‘gotra’ (clan) is Sihag. Raised amid political discourse, Chautala learned the ropes of leadership early. His father’s influence was evident in his political style and strategies which included grassroots connect, rustic style, and working for the welfare of the peasantry.
Chautala began his political career in 1968, contesting the first election from his father’s stronghold Ellenabad. He lost to Lalchand Khod of the Vishal Haryana Party. Alleging electoral malpractice, Chautala challenged the result in court, leading to the annulment of Lalchand’s membership. Chautala won the subsequent bypoll in 1970 on a Janata Dal ticket.
In 1987, the Lok Dal won 60 seats and along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties won 78 seats in Haryana. Devi Lal became the chief minister but later became the Deputy Prime Minister two years later.
Chautala was then chosen as CM on 2 December, 1989. However, he had a succession war with his younger brother Ranjit Singh, who was also a minister in Devi Lal’s cabinet as well as his first cabinet.
The succession war escalated during the Meham byelection when Anand Singh Dangi, a close confidant of Ranjit Singh, filed a nomination against Chautala in 1989.
Aware that a section of his family and party were his opponents, Chautala, who was known for being unsparing to his opponents, said: “Agar Chautala ka naam sun kar virodhi raat ko karwatey na badalane lage to aise jeewan ka kya fayda (If hearing Chautala’s name doesn’t make his opponents toss and turn at night, then what is the point of such a life).”
The Meham bypoll witnessed large scale violence forcing Chautala to resign after a little over five months. In 1991, Chautala returned as the chief minister, but internal dissent led to the collapse of his government in just 15 days.
After the fall of Bansi Lal’s government in 1999, Chautala formed the government with defectors from Lal’s Haryana Vikas Party.
In 2000, Chautala promised free electricity and debt waivers for farmers that helped the INLD secure 47 seats. That was the time when Chautala often said: “Pahadon par barf padti hai. Barf pighalti hai to uske paani se paani se bijli paida hoti hai. Aisi bijli ka bill kis baat ka leti hai darkaar? (Snow falls on the mountains. When it melts, its water generates electricity. Why does the government charge for such electricity?).”
Ironically, it was the anger over rising electricity bills that led to a protest at Kandla in which police firing killed nine protesters on 1 June, 2002.
Brush with controversies
In 1977, Chautala was caught at Delhi’s IGI airport with wrist watches worth Rs. 1 lakh while returning from abroad. His father Devi Lal disowned him when he learnt about this episode.
Years later, Chautala faced allegations of protecting and patronising controversial IPS officer S.P.S Rathore, who was embroiled in Ruchika Girhotra’s molestation case that shook the state. Three years after she was molested, the budding tennis player committed suicide in 1993. Rathore had risen to become the Haryana police chief under him.
The biggest blow to the INLD and Chautala came in 2013, when the veteran and his son Ajay Chautala were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for their role in the Haryana junior basic teachers’ recruitment scam.
It was during his time at Tihar Jail that Chautala cleared 10th and 12th-grade examinations at the age of 82. After serving over half of his sentence, the Jat leader was released in July 2021 under a special remission scheme for elderly prisoners.
Chautala became embroiled in a disproportionate assets case, leading to his conviction by a CBI court in May 2022. He received a four-year prison sentence along with a fine of Rs 50 lakh. However, the Delhi High Court suspended his sentence during the pendency of his appeal.
Condolences pour in
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini were among those who expressed their condolences.
“He (Chautala) was active in the state politics for many years and strove constantly to advance the work of Devi Lal,” Modi posted on ‘X’ and shared a photo of him with the late leader.
While Kharge said Chautala made significant contributions to Haryana and the nation, Saini remarked that the veteran’s life was dedicated to serving the state and society, calling his death an irreparable loss to the nation and state politics.
Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar noted that Chautala’s contributions to Haryana’s development would always be remembered. Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij paid homage, saying that Chautala was an excellent administrator with a remarkable memory.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Hooda highlighted his role in advancing the state’s development during his tenure. His son and Congress MP Deepender Hooda stated that Chautala’s death was a significant loss for the state and the country.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Haryana ex-MLAs get more than 3x the pension of an ex-MP. Now they want hike, Rs 25 lakh car loan
