Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief on the demise of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dilip Gandhi, who succumbed to COVID-19 on Wednesday morning.
Taking to his official Twitter account, PM Modi in a post said, "Saddened by the demise of former MP and Minister Shri Dilip Gandhi Ji. He will be remembered for his rich contributions to community service and helping the poor. He made numerous efforts to strengthen the BJP in Maharashtra. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti."
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Saddened by the demise of former MP and Minister Shri Dilip Gandhi Ji. He will be remembered for his rich contributions to community service and helping the poor. He made numerous efforts to strengthen the BJP in Maharashtra. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.</p>— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://news.abplive.com/sports/cricket/cricketer-rahul-sharma-s-father-dies-due-to-covid-19-wriddhiman-saha-unmukt-chand-express-condolence-1448859">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Besides PM Modi, several other leaders inlcuding Union defence minister Rajnath Singh and former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu extended condolences.
In a post on the microblogging site, Singh said, "Anguished by the demise of former MP and Minister, Shri Dilip Gandhi ji. He distinguished himself as an able administrator and Parliamentarian. He worked towards the welfare of farmers & other weaker sections of our society. Condolences to his family and well wishers. Om Shanti."
The 70-year-old former Member of Parliament (MP) and Union minister Dilip Gandhi had tested positive for COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Delhi where he breathed last earlier today.
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A three-time MP from Ahmednagar constituency, Dilip Gandhi started his career as a corporator in the late ’80s. He had won the Lok Sabha election three times since 1999 from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra but was denied ticket in the 2019 general election. Gandhi has served as the Minister of State for Shipping in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led central government.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter. Reports inform that Gandhi's body will be cremated in Delhi.