NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, OCT 29
Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel died here on Thursday after a prolonged illness, family sources said.
Patel (93) had recovered from COVID-19 recently and was rushed to a hospital in Ahmedabad Thursday morning following health complications, the sources said.
The BJP veteran was the state chief minister in 1995 and again during 1998-2001. Narendra Modi had succeeded him as Gujarat chief minister.
Patel was a member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly six times. He quit the BJP in 2012 and floated the Gujarat Parivartan Party, which performed poorly in 2012 Assembly polls and merged with the BJP in 2014.
Born in Visavadar town of Junagadh district in 1928, Patel joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1945 as a pracharak. He started his political career as a worker for the Jan Sangh.
“Though he recently recovered from coronavirus, his health kept deteriorating due to post-Covid effects in the body,” said Patel’s son Bharat Patel.
“We rushed him to a hospital here after his health deteriorated today morning. Though doctors tried hard, he could not survive,” Patel told reporters.
Patel was also the chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the famous Somnath temple in the Saurashtra region.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani paid tributes to the BJP stalwart saying Patel’s death is a huge loss for the people of Gujarat. Rupani cut short his election campaign today and returned to Gandhinagar. He said Keshubhai will be laid to rest with state honours.
Speaking at a rally at Ghadhada, where bypolls will be held on November 3, Rupani said, “Keshubhai Patel, the leader who made BJP big from Jan Sangh days, who dedicated his entire life for service of nation and farmers, has died today. This is a big loss to Gujarat and the BJP.”
President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, “With the demise of Keshubhai Patel, former Gujarat chief minister, the nation has lost a stalwart leader. His long public life was dedicated to improving the lives of millions, especially in villages. As the champion of farmers causes, he enjoyed an extraordinary rapport with masses.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Our beloved and respected Keshubhai has passed away. I am deeply pained and saddened. He was an outstanding leader who cared for every section of society. His life was devoted to the progress of Gujarat and the empowerment of every Gujarati.”
Keshubhai travelled across the length and breadth of Gujarat to strengthen the Jana Sangh and BJP, Modi said.
“He resisted the Emergency tooth and nail. Issues of farmer welfare were closest to his heart,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets.
Be it as an MLA, MP, Minister or CM, Patel ensured many farmer-friendly measures were passed, Modi said.
“Keshubhai mentored and groomed many younger Karyakartas including me. Everyone loved his affable nature. His demise is an irreparable loss,” the prime minister said.
“We are all grieving today. My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers. Spoke to his son Bharat and expressed condolences. Om Shanti,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday condoled the death of former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel and said his long public life was devoted to the service of the people of the state.
“I have received the sad news of the death of former Chief Minister of Gujarat Keshubhai Patel. His long public life was devoted to the service of the people of Gujarat. With the death of Keshubhai, a void has been created in the politics of Gujarat which is not going to be filled easily. My condolences to his family,” Shah tweeted in Hindi.
The home minister said Patel, while in the BJP, played an important role in strengthening the party in Gujarat, and as a trustee of the Somnath Temple, he always supported the development of the temple.
Shah added that Patel will always remain in people’s memory for his work and behaviour.
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday condoled the death of former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who succumbed to prolonged illness in Ahmedabad earlier in the day.
In his condolence message, the governor termed Patel as a popular leader and noted that with his death, an era has come to an end in Gujarat”s politics.
“A long-time member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, Shri Keshubhai Patel served the people of Gujarat till his last breath. With his demise, an era has come to an end in the politics of Gujarat. My deepest respects to the memories of the departed leader,” Koshyari said.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday condoled the death of former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel. Beginning his political career as a Jan Sangh activist, Patel twice became the Chief Minister of Gujarat to put the state into the development trajectory, Yediyurappa said.
“In his demise, we lost a gentle politician who had strived hard for the overall development of the people of the state,” the chief minister said.
ગુજરાતના પૂર્વ મુખ્યમંત્રી આદરણીય શ્રી કેશુભાઈ પટેલને ભાવપૂર્ણ શ્રદ્ધાંજલિ.
પરમ કૃપાળુ પરમાત્મા સદગતના આત્માને શાંતિ,સદગતિ અર્પે તે જ પ્રાર્થના.. pic.twitter.com/XCpXLyLu8I
— Gujarat Congress (@INCGujarat) October 29, 2020
Keshubhai mentored and groomed many younger Karyakartas including me. Everyone loved his affable nature. His demise is an irreparable loss. We are all grieving today. My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers. Spoke to his son Bharat and expressed condolences. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/p9HF3D5b7y
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2020
Our beloved and respected Keshubhai has passed away…I am deeply pained and saddened. He was an outstanding leader who cared for every section of society. His life was devoted towards the progress of Gujarat and the empowerment of every Gujarati. pic.twitter.com/pmahHWetIX
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1321715775942647809?s=20
આદરણીયશ્રી કેશુભાઈ પટેલે તેમનું આખું જીવન રાષ્ટ્રસેવા અને જનસેવાના કાર્યો માટે સમર્પિત કર્યું હતું.ગુજરાતના વિકાસમાં તેમનું યોગદાન સદાય યાદ રહેશે.
— C R Paatil (Modi Ka Parivar) (@CRPaatil) October 29, 2020
