JAIPUR: Former MLA Gurusharan Chhabra , who was on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 33 days demanding a ban on liquor and a stronger Lokayukta , died in Jaipur on Tuesday.

The 66-year-old had started the hunger strike on October 2. After Chhabra’s condition deteriorated, the district administration had had him hospitalised on October 13. He was shifted to the ICU of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in a state of coma and put on ventilator support on Friday.

"Chhabra breathed his last at 4.30am," said Ajit Singh , additional superintendent, SMS Hospital. According to a health bulletin released by the hospital, Chhabra suffered from pulmonary thromboembolism. It is a condition in which a blood clot dislodges from deep veins of the legs and enters into pulmonary circulation leading to lowering of blood pressure and irregularity of heart rhythm. This usually occurs after prolonged immobilisation or diseases of the veins.

Chhabra was Janata Party MLA from Suratgarh in 1977.

His son Gaurav said a bit of sensitivity on the part of the Rajasthan government could have saved his father. "No one from the government took heed of my father’s demands," he said. "The government had given a written assurance last year to consider his demands. But nothing was done, which prompted him to go on a hunger strike once again."

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot held chief minister Vasundhara Raje responsible for Chhabra’s death. They said the government should have pacified him.

State health minister Rajendra Rathore expressed grief over the death. He said Chhabra was given the best possible treatment at the hospital. "As far as demands are concerned, a committee was looking into it," he said. The state government said prohibition had been imposed in the state in 1980 by the Janata Party, but the Congress government of 1981 had lifted it.

Chhabra had been demanding a total ban on the sale of liquor in Rajasthan for years. After he had gone on an indefinite fast on April 1, 2014, which lasted 45 days, the Raje government formed a committee to look into his demands. Since no action was taken, he again started an indefinite hunger strike last month. Apart from liquor prohibition, he was demanding that the Lokayukta be strengthened by, among other steps, bringing the chief minister within its purview.

Chhabra is survived by two sons. The state government ordered the closure of all liquor shops for a day as a mark of respect to the crusader. As per Chhabra’s wish, the family donated his body to the SMS Medical College for research purposes.