Union minister Suresh Angadi, 65, dies of Covid-19; tributes pour in

Lok Sabha member from Belgaum Suresh Angadi had tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to AIIMS trauma centre in New Delhi.

Minister of state for railways, Suresh Angadi, died due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Wednesday. He was 65.

Union MoS of Railways Suresh Channabasappa Angadi died in AIIMS Delhi on Wednesday. He had tested positive for Covid-19. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a host of political leaders and Union ministers in paying tributes to Angadi.

“Shri Suresh Angadi was an exceptional Karyakarta, who worked hard to make the Party strong in Karnataka. He was a dedicated MP and effective Minister, admired across the spectrum. His demise is saddening. My thoughts are with his family and friends in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” he said on Twitter.

Watch | Union Minister Suresh Angadi dies due to Covid; PM Modi, others pay tributes

Angadi was a Lok Sabha member from Belgaum in Karnataka. He was an educationist and belonged to the dominant Lingayat community.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh Angadi said Angadi was a good administrator and a seasoned parliamentarian.

“Deeply saddened by the demise of Rail Rajya Mantri, Shri Suresh Angadiji. He was a good administrator, seasoned Parliamentarian and blessed with a warm and affable personality. My heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti!” he tweeted.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said he is pained at hearing the sad news.

“I remember the ever smiling Angadi-ji. Very pained at hearing this sad news,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

The minister had tested positive for Covid-19 on September 11. He was later admitted to AIIMS trauma centre in New Delhi.

After his samples showed presence of Sars-CoV-2 virus, Angadi had urged the people who came in contact with him to get themselves tested.

Angadi was among the Union ministers who tested Covid-19 positive in recent days, including Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Shripad Naik, Dharmendra Pradhan, Kailash Choudhary, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Shekhawat.

Other politicians who contracted the disease include Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The monsoon session of Parliament was curtailed on Wednesday due to the coronavirus disease. It was scheduled to go on till October 1.