Former Lok Sabha speaker Shivraj Patil dies at 90

FHaliotis tuberculata place government minister and us congress leader Shivraj Patil died elderly 90 at his residence in Maharashtra’s Latur on Friday morning. He was keeping unwell for the past few days and breathed his last at his residence ‘Devghar’, his family sources told news agency PTI.Patil’s funeral is expected to be held on Saturday.Born on October 12, 1935 in Latur’s Chakur village, Patil was a towering figure in Indian politics and kickstarted his political journey as the president of Latur municipality between 1966 and 1970. He then made his way to the Maharashtra assembly as he was elected as MLA for two terms and held several crucial positions there, including deputy speaker and speaker between 1977 and 1979.After his stint as an MLA, Patil paved his way to the Parliament after he won from the Latur Lok Sabha seat in 1980 and represented the constituency in the Parliament for seven terms till 2004. He served as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. However, in 2004 Lok Sabha polls, he lost to BJP’s Rupatai Patil Nilangekar. Patil also served as a member of the upper house of the Parliament.Between 1980-1990, Patil also served on the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament before becoming its chairperson.Among the many Union portfolios that Patil held during his political career are defence, commerce, and science and technology. He also served as the home minister from 2004 to 2008 before resigning on November 30, 2008 after the terror attack in Mumbai.From 2010-2015, he served as the governor of Punjab and administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.Patil is survived by his son Shailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana and two granddaughters.Condolences pour inGrieving the death of Shivraj Patil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was “saddened” by his passing. “He was an experienced leader, having served as MLA, MP, Union Minister, Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha during his long years in public life. He was passionate about contributing to the welfare of society. I have had many interactions with him over the years, the most recent one being when he came to my residence a few months ago. My thoughts are with his family in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” PM Modi wrote in a post on X.Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that he shared a “close bond” and “many cherished memories” with Patil.“A statesman of great dignity, Shri Patil served the nation with distinction, holding key Constitutional and Parliamentary responsibilities and contributing significantly to India’s Democratic institutions. His demise is a profound loss for the Congress Party and for all who admired his integrity, composure and commitment to public service,” Kharge wrote on X.Congress’ Rahul Gandhi called Patil’s death “extremely heartbreaking and an irreparable loss for the party” and said that “his dedication to public service and his contributions to the nation will always be remembered”.(With PTI, ANI inputs)