Pune MP Girish Bapat dies at 72; 'big loss for BJP,' say party leaders
The BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Pune Girish Bapat passed away at a hospital on Wednesday (March 29) after being bed-ridden for the past one-and-a-half years.
The 72-year-old BJP leader was admitted to the ICU of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in critical condition and was on life support.
“Today is a sad day. BJP’s senior leader and Pune Lok Sabha MP Girish Bapat has left us today. He passed away in a hospital. For the last one-and-a-half years, he was undergoing treatment,” said Jagdish Mulik, BJP city unit president.
He said Bapats last rites will be performed at Vaikunth crematorium on Wednesday evening.
Bapat had served as the MLA five times from the Kasba Peth constituency. He was elected to Lok Sabha in 2019.
Several leaders and colleagues cutting across party lines condoled Bapat’s demise.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the news of Bapats death was extremely saddening.
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil said Bapat was like a guru and a father figure. “It is a big loss for the BJP as Bapat has left us forever. We used to learn a lot from him and his style of politics,” Bawankule said.
Patil said Bapat was like a guru for many BJP workers and his colleagues.
“It is like losing a father figure from your life. His friendship across the party lines and contacts with people and party workers were unparalleled. He was dedicated to the party and its growth. His demise is a huge loss to the party,” Patil said.
Sharad Pawar tweeted, “In his long political career of four decades, Bapat always took an all-inclusive stand”.
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said Pune district has lost a leader who believed in taking everyone along.
“In Bapat’s death, a cultured face of politics has lost,” he said in a statement.
Bapat, who was ailing for the last one-and-a-half-years, passed away at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital here at 72 on Wednesday.
He had served as the MLA five times from the Kasba Peth constituency in Pune city. He was elected to Lok Sabha from the Pune constituency in 2019.
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