India, Sept. 5 -- Nagarmal Bajoria, a Bihar businessman known for contesting nearly 300 elections, has died at the ripe age of 97, his family said on Friday.

According to close family members, the Bhagalpur resident, who boasted of having challenged former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi on their home turfs of Rae Bareli and Amethi, respectively, breathed his last at a hospital in Patna on Thursday, following prolonged illness.

His body was brought to Bhagalpur, where last rites were performed on Friday.

Hailing from western Punjab, which now falls in Pakistan, Bajoria was among the millions of refugees who fled their homes during the horrific communal violence that marked the Partition.

After settling down in the east ...