Satpal Sangwan: Bansi Lal's 'Bulldozer' Passes Away

Satpal Sangwan, former Cooperation Minister of Haryana and two-time MLA from Dadri, has passed away. He was the father of current BJP MLA from Dadri, Sunil Sangwan. Satpal had been unwell for several days and was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram where he breathed his last around 3 AM this morning.

His mortal remains reached his residence in Charkhi Dadri this morning where they have been placed for final viewing. The last rites will be performed this afternoon in his ancestral village Chandeni in Dadri district. Former Chief Minister Bansi Lal used to call him "Bulldozer" for his tenacious approach to politics and administration. 

Battling Illness in His Final Days 

The former minister had been battling illness for several days while admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. His son, current Dadri MLA Sunil Sangwan, had been stationed at the hospital for about a week to look after his ailing father. Due to his advanced age and spreading cancer, Satpal's condition deteriorated progressively despite medical intervention, ultimately leading to his passing at 3 AM.

His funeral procession is expected to be attended by numerous senior political figures, social workers, and thousands of supporters. A wave of grief has spread throughout the region as people pay their respects to the departed leader. 

A Veteran Political Career 

Throughout his political career, Satpal Sangwan contested the Charkhi Dadri assembly elections six times. He first became an MLA from Charkhi Dadri in 1996 on a Haryana Vikas Party ticket. Before entering politics, he worked as an SDO (Sub-Divisional Officer) in the telephone exchange. Former Chief Minister Chaudhary Bansi Lal brought him into politics after having him take voluntary retirement from his government job.

Sangwan became an MLA for the second time in 2009 from Charkhi Dadri on a Haryana Janhit Congress ticket and served as the Cooperation Minister in Bhupinder Hooda's government.

Political Transitions and Family Legacy 

In the 2014 assembly elections, Sangwan lost while contesting on a Congress ticket. When denied a Congress ticket in the 2019 elections, he contested on a JJP (Jannayak Janta Party) ticket and secured the second position. During the farmers' protest, Sangwan bid farewell to JJP and later joined the BJP after holding a workers' conference.

After joining the BJP, Satpal Sangwan, citing his advanced age, chose not to contest elections himself. Instead, he brought his son into politics to carry forward his legacy. Following his father's footsteps, his son Sunil took voluntary retirement from his position as Jail Superintendent at Bhondsi, Gurugram, joined the BJP, and successfully contested the 2024 assembly elections on a BJP ticket to become an MLA from Dadri.