Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi loses battle to cancer

New Delhi: A little over a month after he revealed he had cancer, veteran BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi passed away at the AIIMS in Delhi on Monday. He was 72. The longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar (2005-2013 and 2017-20) , Sushil Modi also held the Finance portfolio, which made a key figure in the rollout and implementation of the Goods and Service Tax as a leading member of the GST Council. A Rajya Sabha member since 2020, he had declined to contest the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on account of his health after he revealed the deadly disease he was suffering from in a post on X on April 3.

“I have been suffering from cancer for the past 6 months and the time has come to make it public. I won’t be able to do anything for my party in the Lok Sabha election. I have already informed PM Narendra Modi about my disease. I am thankful and dedicated to my country, Bihar and my party”, he said in the post.

PM Modi led the country in paying condolences to the departed leader. In an emotive post on X in Hindi, he wrote that he was “deeply saddened at the untimely death” of Sushil Modi, whom he termed “an invaluable colleague and a close friend for decades”.

“He had an invaluable contribution to the rise and successes of the BJP in Bihar. His steadfast opposition to the Emergency led him to create a unique identity as he rose from student politics. He was known as a hard-working and approachable lawmaker. He had a deep knowledge of political issues. He had a creditable tenure as an administrator. His constructive role in the rollout of GST will always be remembered. In this hour of grief, I extend my condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti!” the PM wrote.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed his deep condolences on the demise of Sushil Modi, terming it a big loss for Bihar.

“Very sad news was received about the demise of our friend Bhai Sushil Modi. He was my friend for the last 51-52 years. He was a dedicated social and political person. May God grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear the loss,” he said. (IANS)

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