Mumbai: Former MP and veteran Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad dies of COVID-19

Former MP Eknath Gaikwad. Pic courtesy: Eknath Gaikwad’s family

Former Mumbai Congress president and former MP Eknath Gaikwad, 81, succumbed to COVID-19 on Wednesday at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He was the father of Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Gaikwad defeated the former chief minister Manohar Joshi from the Mumbai South Central constituency. He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Dharavi and also been the state minister twice. Since 1985, he has represented Dharavi. He represented the Mumbai South Central constituency. From 2017 to 2020, he had been the President of the Mumbai Congress committee.

Describing Gaikwad as a "father-like figure and mentor", Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the death was "quite saddening".

"Congress party and I have suffered immense loss. Short of words. Tributes!" Sawant tweeted.

Maharashtra State Youth Congress leader, Satyajeet Tambe, tweeted, "Congress Party's senior leader, Ex-MP, Ex-Minister Eknath Gaikwad Ji passed away today. My deepest condolences to his daughter and Education Minister of Maharashtra @VarshaEGaikwad, Gaikwad family and his friends/supporters."

Baramati MP and senior NCP leader Supriya Sule tweeted, "Former MP Eknath Gaikwad, father of senior Congress leader and Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, has passed away. He is one of the most popular leaders in Mumbai."