Patna: Tarakant Jha, a former chairman of the Bihar legislative council and founding member of the BJP, died Sunday at a private hospital here after prolonged illness, family sources said.

Jha, in his 80s, resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party and joined the Janata Dal-United earlier this year, as he was unhappy with the BJP due to the style of functioning of some party leaders.

Jha was also BJP state president and associated with the Jan Sangh and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolence.

Jha, a senior lawyer of the Patna High Court, played a key role in the inclusion of Maithili language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.