Late Congress leader Makhan Lal Fotedar was a close confidante of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi 
and Rajiv Gandhi. 

Hailing from Kashmir, Fotedar was ushered into politics by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru 

in early 1950s and he gradually strengthened his position in the Congress to become one of the most powerful persons in the party.

He enjoyed immense trust of Indira Gandhi who had made him her political secretary in 1980. After her death, Rajiv Gandhi also made him his political secretary for three years, before inducting him in his Cabinet as a minister.

Fotedar also was a member of the powerful Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, for a long time.

Fotedar was born on 5 March 1931 at Matan in Anantnag district of Jammu & Kashmir and passed away on 28 September 2017 at his residence in Gurgaon at the age of 85.

In the first picture, Fotedar is seen with Congress leaders ND Tiwari, Sitaram Kesri and Arjun Singh.

In the second photograph, he is with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

And in the third, Fotedar and other Congress leaders are seen during an election campaign rally.

To be continued......