Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel dies at 92, PM Modi extends condolences

Keshubhai Patel was a former Chief Minister of Gujarat and a senior leader of the BJP. He breathed his last at Sterling hospital in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

New Delhi: Former Gujarat Chief Minister and senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Keshubhai Patel died on Thursday. He passed away at the hospital at the age of 92 years. 

Dr Akshay Kiledar of Sterling Hospital said that Keshubhai Patel had suffered from cardiac arrest and brought to the hospital in an unconscious state.

"We tried to revive him but couldn't after he was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state, following sudden cardiac arrest. He was declared dead at 11:55 am. He didn't die due to Corona," Kiledar said.

In September, Keshubhai Patel had tested positive for coronavirus, as per a report by The Times of India.

Keshubhai was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 1995 and from 1998 to 2001. Later, he was succeeded by the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the then Gujarat chief minister.

Expressing his sadness at the death of Keshubhai Patel, PM Modi said he was an outstanding leader who cared for every section of society. 

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote: "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."

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

The BJP leader had been nominated as a member of Gujarat Legislative Assembly six times. He had been a member of the BJP since the 1980s.

Keshubhai subsequently left the BJP in 2012 and formed the Gujarat Parivartan Party. In 2012, he was elected from Visavadar assembly seat but had to resign in 2014 due to ill health.

Keshubhai Patel was born in Visavadar town of Junagadh 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, of which was he was a founder member, in 1960s.

(More details awaited)