A veteran Parliamentarian with vast administrative experience, Bhagat was elected speaker of the fifth Lok Sabha on January 5, 1976 when the country was under Emergency. He remained in the post for a year.
Veteran Congress leader and former Lok Sabha speaker Bali Ram Bhagat died early this morning at a hospital in New Delhi.
He was 89 years old.
Bhagat breathed his last at 2.30am at Apollo hospital where he was receiving treatment for kidney and liver ailments, an aide said.
Tribute was paid to Bhagat by leaders across the political spectrum. Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj, senior BJP leader LK Advani, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Congress leader V Narayanasamy and Bhishma Narain Singh offered floral tributes to the departed leader after his body was taken to Parliament House in New Delhi.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state governor Shivraj Patil also expressed grief over Bhagat's demise.
A two-day state mourning has been declared in Rajasthan where government offices would remain closed tomorrow.
In his condolence message, vice-president Hamid Ansari said Bhagat was an "eminent Parliamentarian" and earned respect and admiration of the people for his dedication and honesty during his long years in public life.
Bhagat was elected Speaker of the fifth Lok Sabha on January 5, 1976 when the country was under Emergency. He remained in the post for a year.
Born on 7 October, 1922 in Mahandi Ganj area of Patna, he graduated from Patna College and later got a Masters Degree in Economics from Patna University. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1939.
He was the governor of Himachal Pradesh briefly in 1993 and governor of Rajasthan from 1993 to 1998.
In 1963, Bhagat became the minister of state for planning and held that post till January 1966. During 1963-1967, he was the minister of state in the ministry of finance.
He served as the minister in the ministry of defence for a short while in 1967 before he became the minister of state for external affairs the same year.
He was elevated to the Cabinet rank in 1969 as the minister of foreign trade and supply.
Later, he also served as the minister of steel and heavy engineering for a period of eight months. He was the minister of external affairs in the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1985-86.
Bhagat is survived by his wife Vidhya Bhagat, a son and a daughter.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}