BJP MP Rattan Lal Kataria dies after illness

Chandigarh: Former Union minister and the BJP's Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria died on Thursday. He was 71.

Senior BJP leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the party's state unit chief Om Prakash Dhankar expressed their condolences.

Kataria had been admitted at the PGIMER here for the past month following an illness. He died around 3.30 am, an aide told PTI.

Kataria is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

"I am deeply saddened by the demise of former Union Minister of State and MP from Ambala Ratan Lal Kataria," Khattar said in a tweet in Hindi.

Kataria always raised his voice in Parliament for the benefit of society and the progress of the people of Haryana, Khattar said and added, "His departure is an irreparable loss to politics."