Pune/Mumbai, Mar 29 (PTI) Political leaders in Maharashtra described Bharatiya Janata Party’s Pune Lok Sabha member Girish Bapat, who died at a Pune hospital on Wednesday, as a politician who had cordial relations with everyone irrespective of party lines and said he possessed an art of connecting with people.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and other politicial leaders paid tributes to Bapat.
Bapat, who was ailing for the last one-and-a-half-years, passed away at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital here at the age of 72. He had served as the MLA five times from the Kasba Peth constituency in Pune city. He was elected to Lok Sabha from the Pune constituency in 2019.
Following Bapat’s demise, CM Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis visited his residence in Shaniwar Peth area of Pune city to pay their last respects.
“We lost a hearty leader. With his demise, it is not only BJP, but entire Maharashtra has suffered an irreparable loss. I pray that his family gets the strength to bear the loss,” Shinde told reporters.
He said that Bapat had an art of connecting with people from all walks of life and he worked beyond the party lines.
Terming Bapat’s death as a huge loss to the party, Fadnavis said, “We have seen him as a leader in BJP since the Emergency period. I express my deepest condolences and pray to God to give us the strength to deal with the loss.” He added that Pune is known for producing gems and Bapat was one of them.
“I had a close association with him. For 15 years, we stayed together in MLA hostel in Mumbai, where he used to prepare food for us. Bapat knew the art of connecting with people. He had cordial relations across the party lines. His contribution in Pune’s development is huge. His work as a corporator, civic standing committee chief, MLA, and MP cannot be forgotten,” he said.
NCP chief Pawar said the news of Bapat’s death was extremely saddening.
“In his long political career of four decades, Bapat always took an all-inclusive stand,” the NCP supremo said in a tweet.
Leader of Opposition and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said Pune district has lost a leader who believed in taking everyone along.
“In Bapat’s death, a cultured face of politics has been lost,” he said in a statement.
Uddhav Thackeray said Bapat was a large-hearted leader and a good human being, who took everyone along.
In a statement, Thackeray said Bapat always strove to ensure the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance stayed strong.
“At a time when politics is becoming vicious, a cultured politician like Bapat has passed into the pages of history,” he said.
BJP’s Maharashtra unit president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the death of Bapat was a big loss for his party.
“It is a big loss for the BJP as Bapat has left us forever. We used to learn a lot from him and his style of politics,” he said.
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil said Bapat was like a ‘guru’ (mentor) and a father figure.
“He was like a guru for many BJP workers and his colleagues. It is like losing a father figure from your life. His friendship across the party lines and contacts with people and party workers were unparalleled. He was dedicated to the party and its growth. His demise is a huge loss to the party,” Patil said. PTI SPK ND MR NSK NP
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