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{{Short description|Indian politician (1921–2005)}}{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = H. K. L. Bhagat
| image = H. K. L. Bhagat Lok Sabha photo.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|04|04|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sahiwal]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|10|21|1921|04|04|df=y}}
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], Delhi, India
| office = [[Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs|Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs]]
| term_start = December 1975
| term_end = March 1977
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office2 = [[Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (India)|Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs]]
| term_start2 = 31 December 1984
| term_end2 = 2 December 1989
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office1 = [[Minister of Information and Broadcasting|Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting]]
| termstart1 = February 1983
| termend1 = December 1984
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| nickname = Kingmaker, Uncrowned King of Delhi
}}

'''Hari Krishan Lal Bhagat''' (4 April 1921 {{endash}} 29 October 2005) was an Indian [[politician]] of the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] party. He served as the Deputy Mayor and Mayor of [[Delhi]], the Chief Whip of [[Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee]] (DPCC), and as a six-time MP and Union minister for 22 years. Hailed as the “Uncrowned King Of Delhi" and "Kingmaker", Bhagat was commonly known for being a successful loyalist to [[Indira Gandhi]] and maintained unparalleled influence in Delhi and the [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] throughout the 1970s and 80s. During his time as a politician, Bhagat reigned massive influence in Delhi, and it's often alleged that no Delhi politician could start their careers without the approval of Bhagat, thus giving him the name "Kingmaker". Bhagat's career reached its peak in the [[1984 Indian general election|1984 election]], in which his victory for the East Delhi seat was second largest out of all 543 victories in the entire country. Throughout his career in politics, Bhagat held several different ministerial roles. Bhagat's career declined in the early 1990s after he was named in several commissions investigating the role of Congress politicians during the [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]]. His alleged role in the riots is controversial, though he was cleared by the government in two trials in the 1990s and early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=KAUR |first=JASKARAN |title=TWENTY YEARS OF IMPUNITY |date=October 2006 |publisher=Ensaaf |isbn=978-0-97870-730-9 |location=Portland, USA |pages=80+}}</ref>

== Career ==
Born in West Punjab, British India (now Pakistan), Bhagat moved to Delhi in 1947 following [[Partition of India|partition]] and quickly became active in the politics of the area. A strong [[Indira Gandhi]] loyalist, and strong leader in Delhi in the 1970s and 1980s,<ref name=Outlook>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/congress-old-fox-in-delhi-hkl-bhagat-dead/332025|title = Congress 'Old Fox' in Delhi HKL Bhagat dead}}</ref> Bhagat won six consecutive elections by large margins, and was responsible for a Congress comeback in the 1980 and 1983 elections in Delhi.<ref name="Outlook" /> He was known to have a strong group in the Congress Party, and won his first [[Lok Sabha]] election in 1971 from the [[East Delhi constituency]] in Delhi. He grew in political stature after Congress' victory in the local elections of 1983 which led him to be known as the ‘Uncrowned King of Delhi’ for many a years. He held ministerial positions, including of Information and Broadcasting, Parliamentary Affairs and Law, and made the state-run TV "[[Doordarshan]]" the Congress party's mouthpiece during the mid to late 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-24 |title=Shri H.K.L. Bhagat MP biodata East Delhi {{!}} ENTRANCE INDIA |url=https://entranceindia.com/election-and-politics/shri-h-k-l-bhagat-member-of-parliament-mp-from-east-delhi-delhi-biodata/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Bhagat's career declined after losing from East Delhi in 1991. Towards the end of his political career, he was named by the [[Nanavati Commission]] for an alleged involvement in the [[1984 Anti-Sikh Riots]].<ref name="Outlook" /> The commission did not recommend any action against Bhagat when it was published in 2005, due to his acquittal in other court cases and his poor health at the time. Based on the recommendation of the Nanavati Commission, the government ultimately declined to prosecute Bhagat because of his poor health by that time and in which he died 8 months later. According to the Nanavati Commission, Bhagat and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, P.G. Gavai, visited areas affected by violence for about 2 and a half hours on 2 November 1984. During the riots, a local councilor in Delhi and 5 other persons visited the residence of Bhagat, raising their concerns of the violence. Bhagat allegedly told them he was making efforts to provide compensation to victims of the riots in [[Trilokpuri Assembly constituency|Trilokpuri]] and asked for affidavits by them to declare him innocent along with other Congress leaders.<ref name="Outlook" /> He was acquitted by the courts in both cases citing lack of evidence as many witnesses including his security personnel testifying that Bhagat was next to late PM Indira Gandhi's body for 3 days and did not leave her premises. The then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi also testified to Nanavati commission that HKL Bhagat called him multiple times asking for the Army to be brought in.

Bhagat's alleged role in the riots made him a target for [[Khalistan movement|Sikh Militants]], and was on a hit list of Sikh assassins [[Sukhdev Singh Sukha]] and [[Harjinder Singh Jinda]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=NANAVATI |first=G.T |title=NANAVATI COMMISSION OF INQUIRY (1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS) REPORT |publisher=Government of India |date=9 February 2005 |pages=88–186}}</ref>

In the 1984 election, Bhagat won the East Delhi district once again, this time with 73% of the vote: the second largest victory in the country. Another victory was scored by him in 1989, but the emergence of numerous local and national political had resulted in Bhagat and the Congress vote being wrested by other parties, decreasing his vote share. He ran for a final time in 1991, but the fallout of reports over his actions in the 1984 riots, as well as a general decline of the Congress party post-Gandhi had seen Bhagat defeated, after 11 years of direct rule, and 17 non-continuous years of power as an MP for East Delhi alone.

Bhagat began to suffer from a decline in health following his leave from Congress in 1997. Bhagat died in a hospital after prolonged illness and he was suffering from [[Alzheimer's disease]]. He is survived by his son, DPCC gen secretary Deepak Bhagat.

== Electoral history ==

=== [[10th Lok Sabha|10th Lok Sabha: 1991 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1991 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1991/VOL_I_91.pdf 1991 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|candidate=[[Baikunth Lal Sharma|B. L. Sharma (Prem)]]|votes=303,141|percentage=40.27|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=[[H. K. L. Bhagat]]|votes=241,316|percentage=32.05|change=-17.74}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Dal|candidate=[[Ramvir Singh Bidhuri|Ram Bir Singh Bidhuri]]|votes=158,712|percentage=21.08|change=+15.83}}
{{Election box majority|votes=61,825|percentage=8.22|change=-16.15}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=752,846|percentage=48.23|change=-1.40}}
{{Election box gain with party link|winner=Bharatiya Janata Party|loser=Indian National Congress|swing=}}
{{Election box end}}

=== [[9th Lok Sabha|9th Lok Sabha: 1989 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1989 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1989/Vol_I_LS_89.pdf 1989 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=H K L Bhagat|votes=359,602|percentage=49.79|change=-27.16}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent (politician)|candidate=Chand Ram|votes=183,603|percentage=25.42|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Bahujan Samaj Party|candidate=[[Kanshi Ram]]|votes=81,095|percentage=11.23|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Dal|candidate=Kishor Lal|votes=37,925|percentage=5.25|change=}}
{{Election box majority|votes=175,999|percentage=24.37|change=-37.84}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=722,183|percentage=49.63|change=-11.72}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Indian National Congress|swing=-27.16}}
{{Election box end}}

=== [[8th Lok Sabha|8th Lok Sabha: 1984 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1984 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1984/Vol_I_LS_84.pdf 1984 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=H K L Bhagat|votes=386,150|percentage=76.95|change=+21.95}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Party|candidate=Kishore Lal|votes=73,970|percentage=14.74|change=-19.17}}
{{Election box majority|votes=312,180|percentage=62.21|change=+41.12}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=501,822|percentage=61.35|change=-1.01}}
{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Indian National Congress|swing=+21.95}}
{{Election box end}}

=== [[7th Lok Sabha|7th Lok Sabha: 1980 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1980 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf 1980 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress (Indira)|candidate=H K L Bhagat|votes=228,727|percentage=55.00|change=+24.64}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Party|candidate=Kishore Lal|votes=141,019|percentage=33.91|change=-34.04}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Party (Secular)|candidate=Mir Singh|votes=25,539|percentage=6.14|change=}}
{{Election box majority|votes=87,708|percentage=21.09|change=-16.50}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=415,881|percentage=62.36|change=-7.77}}
{{Election box gain with party link|winner=Indian National Congress (Indira)|loser=Bharatiya Lok Dal|swing=+24.64}}
{{Election box end}}

=== [[6th Lok Sabha|6th Lok Sabha: 1977 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1977 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf 1977 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Janata Party|candidate=[[Kishore Lal]]|votes=240,594|percentage=67.95|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=H K L Bhagat|votes=107,487|percentage=30.36|change=-33.76}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party of India|candidate=Radhey Shyam|votes=3,748|percentage=1.06|change=}}
{{Election box majority|votes=133,107|percentage=37.59|change=+5.12}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=354,078|percentage=70.13|change=+5.31}}
{{Election box gain with party link|winner=Janata Party|loser=Indian National Congress|swing=}}
{{Election box end}}

=== [[5th Lok Sabha|5th Lok Sabha: 1971 General Elections]] ===
{{Election box begin|title=[[1971 Indian general election]]: East Delhi<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf 1971 Lok Sabha results by constituency]</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=H K L Bhagat|votes=146,632|percentage=64.12|change=+18.65}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Bharatiya Jana Sangh|candidate=Hardayal Devgun|votes=72,382|percentage=31.65|change=-17.11}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress (Organization)|candidate=Fateh Singh|votes=5,717|percentage=2.50|change=}}
{{Election box majority|votes=74,250|percentage=32.47|change=+29.18}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=228,685|percentage=64.82|change=-2.47}}
{{Election box gain with party link|winner=Indian National Congress|loser=Bharatiya Jana Sangh|swing=+18.65}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20051030/main4.htm A short profile at The Tribune site]
* [http://info.indiatimes.com/1984/ Times Of India Report on 1984 Anti-Sikh Pogroms] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321085903/http://www1.info.indiatimes.com/1984/ |date=21 March 2018 }}
* {{YouTube|N16XrqWkLbE|NDTV X-Factor discussion about involvement of HKL Bhagat, Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and Congress Party in 1984 riots}}

{{Ministers of Information and Broadcasting}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhagat, H. K. L.}}
[[Category:20th-century mayors of places in India]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:1984 anti-Sikh riots]]
[[Category:Mayors of Delhi]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:India MPs 1971–1977]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1984–1989]]
[[Category:India MPs 1989–1991]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Delhi]]
[[Category:People from East Delhi district]]
[[Category:Ministers for information and broadcasting of India]]
[[Category:Tourism ministers of India]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of India]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]

H. K. L. Bhagat - Revision history

Robertoson at 05:24, 13 March 2026