Rajasthan: Congress MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat Dies After Contracting Covid-19

Rajasthan Congress MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat passed away on Wednesday soon after he was diagnosed with a liver infection and coronavirus. He was 48 and was hospitalised at a private hospital in Jaipur.

Shaktawat represented Rajasthan’s Vallabhnagar constituency.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra, former deputy CM Sachin Pilot and other leaders expressed their grief over Shaktawat’s demise.

"Deep condolences on untimely demise of Congress MLA shri Gajendra Shaktawat," Gehlot tweeted. 

"I am deeply saddened by the devastating news of the passing away of my colleague & MLA Shri Gajendra Singh Shaktawat ji. He was a humble and a kind soul, always dedicated towards the development of his constituency. My heartfelt condolences to his family," Pilot said on Twitter.

Shaktawat, a two-time MLA, was among the Congress legislators, led by Pilot, who had revolted against the leadership of the chief minister in July last year.

He is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.

Shaktawat is the third Congress and fourth sitting MLA in Rajasthan to have died in the recent past.

Congress MLAs Master Bhanwar Lal Meghwal (Sujangarh in Churu), Kailash Trivedi (Sahara in Bhilwara) and BJP MLA Kiran Maheshwari (Rajsamand) are the others who died recently.

Meghwal, the social justice and empowerment minister, had suffered brain haemorrhage and died in November last year. Kailash Trivedi and Kiran Maheshwari died due to coronavirus infection. While Trivedi died in October, Maheshwari passed away in November last.

With this, the tally in the House of 200 has come down to 196 in the

Congress-ruled state. Bypolls will now be conducted to four assembly constituencies in the state.

(With PTI inputs)