Chuni Lal Bhagat, Veteran BJP Leader and Former Punjab Cabinet Minister, Dies at 93

Chuni Lal Bhagat (also known as Bhagat Chunni Lal), a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, former Punjab Cabinet minister, and former Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, died at his residence in Jalandhar, Punjab, on September 10, 2026. He was 93 years old. His death was confirmed by his son, Punjab Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat.

Early Life

Chuni Lal Bhagat was born on December 1, 1932, in Sialkot, British India (now in Pakistan), to Mehnga Ram and Rukmani Devi. Following the Partition of India, his family relocated to Punjab. Bhagat completed his education up to matriculation before venturing into commerce, where he established a successful enterprise manufacturing and exporting sports goods from Jalandhar.

Political Career and Major Accomplishments

Bhagat entered electoral politics in 1985, contesting as an independent candidate for the Jullundur (Jalandhar) South Assembly constituency, though he was unsuccessful. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and rose to prominence as a key leader within the party's state apparatus. In 1997, he secured election to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Jalandhar South, defeating Mohinder Singh Kaypee. He was re-elected from the same seat in 2007.

Following electoral boundary delimitation in Punjab, Bhagat contested and won from the newly created Jalandhar West constituency in the 2012 assembly elections. In 2011, he served as the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, succeeding Satpal Gosain. Between 2012 and 2017, he served as the leader of the BJP legislative party in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Notable Portfolios and Ministerial Roles

During the Shiromani Akali Dal–Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from 2012 to 2017, Bhagat served as a prominent Cabinet Minister. Over his tenure, he held critical portfolios, including Minister for Local Government, Minister for Medical Education & Research, and Minister for Forest, Wildlife, and Labour.

Personal Life

Bhagat was married to Sheela Devi, who predeceased him. The couple had eight children, comprising four sons and four daughters. His son Mohinder Bhagat followed him into public service and state politics, eventually becoming a Cabinet minister in the Punjab government.

Legacy

Spanning six decades of public life from the era of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh through the contemporary BJP, Bhagat was widely regarded as an influential Dalit voice and grassroots stalwart in the Doaba region of Punjab. Leaders across party lines remembered him for his accessibility, grassroots network, and long-standing contributions to the governance and infrastructure of Jalandhar and the broader state of Punjab.