Veteran Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad dies of COVID-19 at Mumbai hospital

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Former MP and veteran Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad passed away on Wednesday after losing a battle with Covid-19. He was 81. The politician was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mumbai after being diagnosed with coronavirus.

Eknath Gaikwad, father of state's Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, breathed his last at Breach Candy Hospital at around 10 am.

"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," tweeted Maharashtra State Youth Congress leader Satyajeet Tambe.

Condolences poured in from various political parties grieving the death of Gaikwad.

Gaikwad belonged to an Ambedkarite Buddhist family. A two-time Lok Sabha MP, Gaikwad had represented the Mumbai South Central consituency. He had also served as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, winning thrice from Dharavi.

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