Former Bihar Deputy Sushil Kumar Modi passed away on Monday evening after battling with cancer. He was 72. The former deputy CM took his last breath at 9.45 pm at AIIMS in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is deeply saddened by the demise of Sushil Modi and called him "a valuable colleague in the party and friend for decades."
"He has played an invaluable role in the rise and success of BJP in Bihar. Strongly opposing the Emergency, he made a name for himself in student politics. He was known as a very hardworking and sociable MLA. He had a deep understanding of the issues related to politics," PM Modi said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah condoled Sushil Modi's demise and said Bihar has lost a great pioneer of politics.
"From ABVP to BJP, Sushil ji has adorned many important positions in the organization and government. His politics was dedicated to the interests of the poor and the backward. The void that has emerged in Bihar politics due to his demise cannot be filled for a long time," Shah said in a post on X.
BJP state chief and Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary expressed his condolences on Sushil Modi's demise calling it "irreparable loss for Bihar BJP."
Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha called Sushil Modi's demise as "irreparable loss for the entire BJP family."
"He will always be remembered for his organization skills, administrative understanding and his deep knowledge on social political issues. May God grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family in this hour of grief," Sinha said in a post on X.
Sushil Modi was diagnosed with cancer in April this year.
“I’m battling cancer for the last six months. Now, I think, time has come to let people know about this. I would be unable to campaign in Lok Sabha elections. I’ve informed PM everything. Always grateful and dedicated to the country, Bihar and the party,” the former deputy CM posted on X.
The BJP leader was recently named as one of the BJP’s star campaigners in Bihar and as a member of its election manifesto committee. His Rajya Sabha term ended recently. However, his name was missing in the BJP's list of Rajya Sabha cadidates announced in February.
Sushil Modi has been the face of the BJP in Bihar for a very long time and was Deputy Chief Minister twice in the NDA government under CM Nitish Kumar, holding the finance portfolio for a long time.
He was considered close to Nitish and is said to have played an important role in Kumar’s latest comeback to the NDA camp in January.