Punjab ex-minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, the BJP face in Jalandhar, dies at 94

Born on December 1, 1932, in Sialkot, now in Pakistan, Chunni Lal moved to Jalandhar with his family after partition.

Bhagat Chunni Lal, a former Punjab Cabinet minister and a veteran BJP face with more than three decades of electoral politics behind him, died on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 94.

For a generation of voters in Jalandhar, Chunni Lal remained a familiar political presence: a leader whose electoral career survived changes in constituencies, governments and political equations. A three-time MLA and a former deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, even after he withdrew from electoral politics, his political relevance continued through his son, Mohinder Bhagat, an AAP leader and a Cabinet Minister.

Born on December 1, 1932, in Sialkot, now in Pakistan, Chunni Lal moved to Jalandhar with his family after partition.

Chunni Lal’s political journey began in 1985, when he contested the Jalandhar South Assembly seat as an Independent and lost. He later joined the BJP, returned to the constituency in 1997 as the party’s candidate and won. He retained Jalandhar South in 2007. After delimitation altered the constituency’s boundaries and it became Jalandhar West, Chunni Lal won again in 2012.

His electoral success reflected in his growth within the party too. In 2011, following the resignation of Satpal Gosain, he was elected Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidahn Sabha. A year later, after the 2012 election, he became part of the Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP government as a Cabinet minister.

Between 2012 and 2017, he handled portfolios including Local Bodies, Medical Education and Research, Labour, and Forest and Wildlife. He also served as leader of the BJP legislature party in the Assembly.

The 2017 election marked a turning point. Chunni Lal chose not to contest, and subsequently retired from electoral politics. However, as he stepped aside, his son Mohinder Bhagat emerged as the next face of the family’s politics. That transition was not without its political complications.

Story continues below this ad

In 2023, when Mohinder resigned from the BJP, Chunni Lal publicly expressed his disappointment. He told reporters that his son had not informed him about the decision and became emotional while speaking about it.

A year later, however, when Mohinder contested the Jalandhar West Assembly bypoll on an AAP ticket in 2024, Chunni Lal appealed to voters to support his son. Mohinder went on to win the bypoll.

On Thursday, the Punjab government announced a half-day holiday as a mark of respect following his death.
Several political leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, condoled the Chunni Lal;s death.

In a post on X, Mann said, “My deepest condolences are with Mohinder Bhagat Ji and their entire family.”

Story continues below this ad

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said he was deeply saddened. “His long public service and contribution to Punjab will always be remembered,” Badal said in a post on X.

Congress MP and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also expressed grief over the death of Lal.