Delhi, March 8: Former Union Law Minister and senior Indian National Congress leader Hansraj Bhardwaj died after suffering cardiac arrest at a hospital in New Delhi on Sunday evening. Bhardwaj breathed his last at the Max Hospital, Saket, where he was admitted last week due to kidney-related issues. He was the Governor of Karnataka from 2009 to 2014. He was also given the additional charge of Governor of Kerala which he abandoned on March 9, 2013. Born on May 17, 1937, Bhardwaj was one of the tallest leaders of the grand old party.

Bhardwaj was among the Congress leaders who always openly questioned Rahul Gandhi's leadership ability. "I don't consider Rahul Gandhi a leader yet. He'll understand when he gets a post," the former Union Law Minister had said.

ANI Tweet:

Condoling Bhardwaj’s death, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted: "Deeply condole the sad demise of Shri Hansraj Bhardwaj who for long years served as the Law Minister of India. We were together in the Parliament. May his soul Rest In Peace."

Ravi Shankar Prasad Tweet:

Bharadwaj was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1982. He served as Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Law and Justice from December 31, 1984, to November 1989 and was re-elected to Rajya Sabha in 1988.

He was then MoS in the Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation from July 21, 1991, to July 2, 1992, and MoS in Law Ministry from 3 July 1992 to May 1996. Bhardwaj was again elected to RS in April 1994 and April 2000.

From May 2004 to May 2009, he served as Union Cabinet Minister of Law and Justice. Having represented Madhya Pradesh in Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader was elected to RS from Haryana on March 20, 2006, without opposition.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2020 08:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).