Gotam Lal Meena, BJP MLA from south Rajasthan’s Dhariawad constituency, died at MB Hospital in Udaipur on Wednesday due to coronavirus infection. The 57-year-old legislator was admitted to hospital on Sunday but his condition deteriorated. He died on Wednesday morning, his family said.
The three-time lawmaker is survived by his wife and four sons.
Meena is the fourth MLA in Rajasthan to die of Covid-19. Congress MLA Kailash Trivedi, 65, was the first to lose the battle against Covid in October last. In November, BJP’s Kiran Maheshwari, 59, lost her life and in January this year, the infection claimed the life of Congress MLA Gajendra Shaktawat, 47.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, assembly speaker CP Joshi, BJP state president Satish Poonia and other leaders condoled the death.
“The information about the untimely demise of BJP MLA from Dhariawad Gotam Lal Meena is very sad,” Gehlot said.
Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje recalled that Meena had served his constituency selflessly and honestly and described his death as a “personal loss”.
BJP leader and leader of opposition Gulabchand Kataria also condoled his death, pointing that the lawmaker’s condition deteriorated over the last two days when he was moved to ventilator support. Kataria recalled how the Dhariawad MLA would always raise issues close to the poor and deprived sections of society.
{{/usCountry}}BJP leader and leader of opposition Gulabchand Kataria also condoled his death, pointing that the lawmaker’s condition deteriorated over the last two days when he was moved to ventilator support. Kataria recalled how the Dhariawad MLA would always raise issues close to the poor and deprived sections of society.
{{/usCountry}}Meena’s death brings down the strength of the Rajasthan assembly to 198.