Congress MP from Maharashtra's Nanded, Vasantrao Chavan passed away on Monday at the age of 69 after a prolonged illness, said the party's state unit. He has been ill for the past few days and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad.
While undergoing treatment, his health started deteriorating in the middle of the night after which he died at 4 am on Monday, reported ABP Majha. His last rites will be performed in Nanded, said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
Chavan was initially admitted to a hospital in Nanded a few days ago after complaining of difficulty in breathing and low blood pressure. After receiving treatment for some time, he was shifted to Hyderabad in an air ambulance on the advice of the doctor.
He had won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat this year despite ill health and big desertions including that of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who joined Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Congress Leaders Pay Tribute
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra expressed condolences on the passing away of the party's MP.
In a post on X, Rahul said: "“The news of the demise of senior Congress leader, Nanded Lok Sabha MP Shri Vasantrao Chavan ji is extremely sad. While paying my heartfelt tribute to him, I express my deep condolences to the bereaved family. A popular grassroots leader, Shri Chavan supported and expanded the ideology of Congress throughout his life. His demise is an irreparable loss for the Congress family."
Kharge also expressed his heartfelt condolence sayin he was a senior leader, who started his politics from the grassroots as a Gram Panchayat member and served the people in various elected positions. "He protected the Congress ideology in his region till his last breath. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and followers," Kharge tweeted on X.
Priyanka Gandhi also expressed profounf grief.
"The news of the demise of Shri Vasant Chavan ji, MP from Nanded, Maharashtra and senior Congress leader is extremely sad. May God grant peace to the departed soul. My deepest condolences," said the Congress leader.
Who Was Vasant Chavan?
Chavan was an Independent MLA from Naigaon Assembly constituency before joining Congress in 2014. He was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in May 2014.
Chavan was first elected to the Maharashtra Assembly from Naigaon Vidhan Sabha constituency in Nanded district in 2009.
His political career started as Sarpanch of his Naigaon village in 1978. Later he was elected in Zilla Parishad but soon after that, he got an opportunity in the State Legislative Council. From there, he worked in both houses of the legislature for 16 years.