New Delhi: Former governor of West Bengal and Bihar, Kesari Nath Tripathi passed away Sunday morning at the age of 88 at his Prayagraj home in Uttar Pradesh, reported PTI. The senior BJP leader, a three-time speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, was hospitalised for a fractured hand as well as old-age-related ailments and breathing issues, the report added quoting a party leader as saying.
"Tripathiji was in the ICU for a short while and his condition has improved following which he was brought home. Today at around 5 AM he breathed his last," the official told the news agency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief and described Tripathi as the key man in building the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh.
"Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi Ji was respected for his service and intellect. He was well versed in Constitutional matters. He played a key role in building BJP in UP and worked hard for the state’s progress. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," Modi tweeted.
Born on November 10, 1934, in Allahabad, Tripathi served as the Governor of West Bengal from July 2014 to July 2019. Before that, he also had additional charges for short stints as the Governor of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
He had been a six-time member of the UP Legislative Assembly and held the position of Cabinet minister of institutional finance and sales tax in the state during the Janata Party regime between 1977 and 1979.
A poet and author, Tripathi had practised as a senior advocate at Allahabad High Court and was the BJP president in UP for some time.