President, PM condole death

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in condoling the death of Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu who will be given a state funeral.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in condoling the death of Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu who will be given a state funeral. All central government offices in the state will remain closed on Friday and the national flag will fly at half mast in the country.

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In a resolution condoling the death, the Union Cabinet on Thursday lauded Khandu's "visionary leadership."

"The fact that several sectors such as hydro-power, tourism, mineral development, agriculture, food processing and agro-based industries in the state are generating income and employment for a large segment of population, is a glowing tribute to his visionary leadership," it said.

The PM, who along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi will go to Arunachal on Friday to pay homage to Khandu, said the CM worked tirelessly to promote his state's interests.