Cong, other parties mourn Kesri's death

Cong, other parties mourn Kesri's death
ENS & AGENCIES

NEW DELHI, OCT 25: Former Congress president Sitaram Kesri, who died last night, will be cremated in Patna tomorrow. His body was flown to his native Danapur near Patna in a special aircraft today.

In the wake of Kesri's death, the Congress deferred for a day the filing of nominations for the election of party president. The nominations would now be received on October 26, 27 and 28.

``As a mark of respect to the former president of the Congress party Sitaram Kesri, nomination paper for the elections of the Congress president will be received from October 26,'' a notification issued by AICC said.

As per the schedule announced earlier, the notification for the election of Congress president was to be issued today, with last date for filing nominations being October 28, scrutiny, the next day and last date of withdrawal on November 4. The date of poll, if necessary, was fixed on November 11.

Today, a stream of visitors, including President K.R. Narayanan, Vice-President Krishan Kant, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister L.K. Advani and a large number of Congress workers, went to Kesri's residence on Purana Qila Road this morning to pay their last respects. Among the callers was also former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda whose government fell when the Congress under Kesri's leadership withdrew support.

The body was taken to the AICC headquarters around noon. Several Congress Working Committee members, chief ministers Shiela Dixit, Digvijay Singh and Ashok Gehlot and other senior leaders laid wreaths on the body. Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi and BJP chief Bangaru Laxman also paid their respects.

Sonia Gandhi, who also visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences soon after Kesri died there last night, said that the party had lost its seniormost leader. Describing him as a ``true secularist'', she said that Kesri had fought for the downtrodden all his life.

At its meeting, the CWC adopted a resolution lauding Kesri's contribution to the party with which he was associated for six decades. It described him as adistinguished parliamentarian and a staunch Gandhian.

``Kesri's death is a great loss to the country,'' the President told reporters after laying a wreath on the deceased leader's body. Narayanan said he had the opportunity of closely interacting with Kesri and was ``struck by his innate human qualities, warmth and simplicity, like many others who came into contact with him and who affectionately called him chacha (uncle).'' Narayanan also consoled Kesri's son Amarnath and other family members.

In a message, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, said that in the death of the octogenarian leader, the nation had lost an able Parliamentarian. Kesri will always be remembered for his service to the weaker sections of the society, the PM said.

In his remarks, Advani said with the death of the Congress veteran, the younger generation had lost a crucial link with the older generation of politicians.

Kesri's son Amarnath told reporters that they were proud of him but felt that he had neglected his family and solely concentrated on party work. Former PM V.P. Singh said he had had a very cordial relation with Kesri who had always shown him special affection.

Describing him as a ``living example of success of a downtrodden man'', Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar said: ``Those of us hailing from Bihar, irrespective of party affiliations, will always cherish how he rose to such a high position. We might have had political differences, but we all had immense respect for him,'' Kumar said.

Bihar Governor Vinod Chandra Pandey and Uttar Pradesh Governor Suraj Bhan have also mourned the death of Kesri. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Karanataka counterpart S.M. Krishna, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and RJD general secretary Staya Prakash Malyiya also mourned Kesri's death. Gehlot said the Congress had lost a veteran and dynamic leader in Kesri's death.

Krishna and his cabinet colleagues recalled the late leader's services at the KPCC meeting held at the party office in Bangalore.

Meanwhile, in Patna, Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi condoled Kesri's death. Rabri Devi described Kesri as the `Chanakya' of politics, she said his loss was irreparable.