Former Congress MP Prataprao Bhosale, who had also served as the Maharashtra cabinet minister, died at his native place in Satara district early on Sunday, the party said. He was 89.
Bhosale breathed his last at his residence in Bhuinj village, the party said. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole expressed grief over Bhosale's demise and said the party has lost a committed loyalist.
Bhosale's political journey began as the sarpanch of Bhuinj village. He had served as member of the Lok Sabha three times, representing the Satara constituency.
Prior to that, he was member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly from Wai segment (in Satara district) from 1967 to 1985 and also served as the state cabinet minister.
Bhosale became the Maharashtra Congress head in 1997. He was the state Congress chief when Sharad Pawar broke away from the party on the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins in 1999.
Despite the vertical split, the Congress under Bhosale's leadership bagged 75 seats and emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly.
Patole said Bhosale remained committed to the Congress ideology all his life. "The party has lost a committed loyalist and cultured leader," Patole said in a statement.
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