Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron, Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, 85, died after a prolonged illness at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here on Tuesday.
A veteran Akali leader Brahmpura, who was suffering from cancer and old-age health issues, was admitted at PGIMER a few days ago after his condition deteriorated.
He would be cremated at his native village, Brahmpur, district Tarn Taran, on Wednesday.
In his death, the SAD has lost one of its oldest Taksali (traditional) Akali leaders as Brahmpura was next only to SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal in terms of seniority.
A four-time legislator and a Cabinet minister twice, Brahmpura, in his over 50-year long political career, was also SAD member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib constituency from 2014. He was referred as "Majhe Da Jarnail" (in Punjabi - meaning the General of Majha region of Punjab). He was appointed SAD patron last month.
Brahmpura, however, had quit the party in October 2018 in protest against the party’s failure to punish the culprits responsible for the sacrilege cases of 2015 which took place during the SAD-BJP rule. He was SAD MP at that time as well as senior vice-president in the party and was also a member of the party’s core committee. Brahmpura, however, had returned to SAD fold in December, in 2021, ahead of state assembly polls.
Paying tributes, the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted, "Passing away of tireless Panthic warrior and Akali stalwart Jathedar Ranjit Singh Ji Brahmpura is a massive loss to Panth, Punjab and to Shiromani Akali Dal. This blow has created a void that would be hard to fill''.
Several other SAD leaders including Bibi Jagir Kaur and Bikram Singh Majithia also condoled Brahmpura’s death.
