Mumbai: Former MP and veteran Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad dies of COVID-19

A two-time Lok Sabha MP, Eknath Gaikwad was the father of Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad.

Mumbai: Former MP and veteran Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad dies of COVID-19

Former MP Eknath Gaikwad. Pic courtesy: Eknath Gaikwad’s family

Former Mumbai Congress president and former MP Eknath Gaikwad, 81, succumbed to COVID-19 on Wednesday at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He was the father of Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Gaikwad defeated the former chief minister Manohar Joshi from the Mumbai South Central constituency. He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Dharavi and also been the state minister twice. Since 1985, he has represented Dharavi. He represented the Mumbai South Central constituency. From 2017 to 2020, he had been the President of the Mumbai Congress committee.

Describing Gaikwad as a "father-like figure and mentor", Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the death was "quite saddening".

"Congress party and I have suffered immense loss. Short of words. Tributes!" Sawant tweeted.

काँग्रेसचे ज्येष्ठ नेते, मुंबई कॉंग्रेसचे माजी अध्यक्ष एकनाथजी गायकवाड यांच्या निधनाचे वृत्त धक्कादायक असून सर्वसामान्यांसाठी झटणारे एक अनुभवी आणि निष्ठावान नेतृत्व काळाच्या पडद्याआड गेले आहे. त्यांना भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजली.
त्यांच्या कुटुंबियांच्या दु:खात आम्ही सहभागी आहोत. pic.twitter.com/YBcZM986TY
— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) April 28, 2021

Maharashtra State Youth Congress leader, Satyajeet Tambe, tweeted, “Congress Party's senior leader, Ex-MP, Ex-Minister Eknath Gaikwad Ji passed away today. My deepest condolences to his daughter and Education Minister of Maharashtra @VarshaEGaikwad, Gaikwad family and his friends/supporters.”

@VarshaEGaikwad
My heartfelt condolences for sad demise of your father and former MP.@GaikwadSpeaks
— Sanjay Jog (@SanjayJog7) April 28, 2021

Baramati MP and senior NCP leader Supriya Sule tweeted, “Former MP Eknath Gaikwad, father of senior Congress leader and Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, has passed away. He is one of the most popular leaders in Mumbai.”

या दुःखद प्रसंगी आम्ही सर्वजण त्यांच्या कुटुंबीयांच्या दुःखात सहभागी आहोत. भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजली. @VarshaEGaikwad @INCIndia @INCMaharashtra @INCMumbai
— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) April 28, 2021