Raipur: Former Union minister and socialist leader Purushottam Lal Kaushik on Thursday died due to age-related ailments at his home in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district. He was 87.
Kaushik breathed his last at his residence in Mahasamund town this afternoon due to age-related ailments, his family members said.
He had served as tourism and civil aviation minister in the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai's cabinet during 1977- 1979.
He headed the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the then Prime Minister Charan Singh's cabinet during July 1979-January 1980, an official statement said here.
His last rites will be performed with state honours in Mahasamund on Friday.
Born on September 24, 1930, in Mahasamund, Kaushik had obtained his LLB degree from the Nagpur University in 1954.
Inspired by the ideas and political movements launched by Samajwadi leaders Ram Manohar Lohia and Jay Prakash Narayan, Kaushik had entered into politics and became the pioneer of Samajwadi movement in the state.
During the 1970s, he had led farmers' agitations in the state.
He was elected as an MLA from Mahasamund seat in 1972 to the then Madhya Pradesh Assembly and as an MP from Raipur in the year 1977 and from Durg in 1989.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed his deep condolence over the death of the veteran leader.
In his condolence message, the CM said the state had lost a legendary socialist thinker and well-wisher of farmers.
"Kaushik toiled tirelessly for the welfare of depressed sections of the society-villagers, farmers and the poor. He served the state as an MLA, MP and central minister," Singh said.
Kaushik was imprisoned during the Emergency for defending the democratic aspirations of the common masses, he added.
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