Veteran Congress leader Murli Deora passes away

Mumbai, 24 November 2014

Veteran Congress leader and former union minister Murli Deora died here early Monday following a brief illness. He was 77. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a leader with a “warm nature”.

Murli Deora died around 3.30 a.m., said Congress leader Sachin Sawant.

He is survived by his wife and two sons, including former union minister of state Milind M. Deora.

Monday said in a message: “A dedicated leader, Murli Deora’s warm nature made him popular across party lines. News of his demise is saddening. My deepest condolences to Milind Deora and the Deora family on Murli Deora’s demise. May his soul rest in peace.”

The prime minister said that Sunday, he had spoken to the Deora family and enquired about his health.

“Very sad to hear the unfortunate news today (Monday),” he said.

Murli Deora was a former mayor of Mumbai in 1977-78, and later chief of the Congress party’s city unit for two decades. He was also Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South, besides being the union minister for petroleum and natural gas, among other important assignments.

Deora’s body will be kept for public darshan at the Mumbai Region Congress Committee (MRCC) office in south Mumbai and the funeral ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Monday at the Chandanwadi crematorium in the city.

Senior party leaders and politicians cutting across the political spectrum started arriving at the Deora residence to pay their last respects to the high-profile leader.

Deora was one of the pillars of support to the Gandhi family and the Congress.

An economics graduate with a strong pro-US temperament, Mumbai-born Deora had excellent personal relations with top political and business leaders, celebrities and media personalities all over the country.

Sonia, Rahul to attend Deora funeral

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will attend the funeral of veteran party leader and former union minister Murli S. Deora, who died Monday, a party spokesperson said here.

Deora, 77, died early Monday after a brief illness.

Besides the Gandhi family – with whom Deora enjoyed a close personal rapport right from the days of the late Indira Gandhi – senior party leaders like Ahmed Patel, Motilal Vora and chief ministers of some Congress-ruled states are also expected for the funeral, said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh described Deora as “a popular Congress leader who played an active role in national politics”.

“Saddened to know the news of Deora’s demise. I express my condolences to Milind Deora on his father’s demise. May God give him and his family the strength to bear this tragic loss,” Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said Deora’s demise was “a personal loss” to him.

“Murli bhai is no more. A great patriot and a Congress stalwart, we shall miss his wit and his sane advice,” Digvijaya Singh said in a message.

Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha condole Deora’s death, adjourned

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned Monday after obituary reference was made for former union minister Murali Deora who died early in the morning.

Deora, a veteran Congress leader, died in Mumbai Monday following a brief illness. He was 77.

The winter session of parliament began here Monday.

The Lok Sabha also condoled the deaths in the floods that ravaged Jammu and Kashmir as well as in cyclone Hudhud that hit Andhra Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier presented to the house the new ministers who were inducted into the union council of ministers.

The session, the first after Modi’s expansion of his ministry this month, will have 22 sittings and will end Dec 23.

PM expresses sadness on the passing of Shri Murli Deora

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has expressed grief on the passing of Shri Murli Deora.

“A dedicated leader, Shri Murli Deora`s warm nature made him popular across party lines. News of his demise is saddening. My deepest condolences to Shri Milind Deora and the Deora family on Shri Murli Deora`s demise. May his soul rest in peace. Just yesterday I had spoken to Shri Murli Deora`s family and asked about his health. Very sad to hear the unfortunate news today,” the Prime Minister said.