New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS): Former BJP MP and senior journalist Ashwini Kumar Chopra passed away in Gurugram on Saturday, family sources said.

Speaking to IANS, his son Akash Chopra said the former Lok Sabha MP from Karnal was suffering from Cancer.

"He was diagnosed with cancer around one-and-a-half years ago. The treatment was going on. He passed away on Saturday at 11.40 a.m. at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon," he told IANS.

Ashwini Chopra, born in 1956, was a senior journalist and Resident Editor of Punjab Kesari, a Hindi daily, in Delhi. He was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from Karnal n Haryana as a BJP candidate. Prior to entering journalism full-time, he played under the name of Ashwini Minna for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy.

He is survived by his wife, Kiran Chopra, and three sons -- Arjun, Akash and Aditya Chopra.

The cremation will take place at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi at 10 a.m. on Sunday, according to the family.

During the days of terrorism in Punjab, his grandfather Lala Jagat Narain and father Romesh Chander were assassinated in 1981 and 1984 respectively.