NEW DELHI, MAY 13: Bihar’s former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader, Sushil Kumar Modi died on Monday. He was suffering from Cancer and was undergoing treatment at the AIIMS in Delhi.
Sources in the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) said the BJP leader breathed his last at 9.45pm at the hospital.
In April, Modi had announced that he had been suffering from cancer and had requested the party to relieve him of assignments related to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Modi had served as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister for over 11 years across two stints — the first from November 2005 to June 2013, and then from July 2017 to December 2020 — stitching up a formidable combination with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U).
In his three-decade career, he was also an MLA, an MLC, a member of the Lok Sabha, and a Rajya Sabha MP. He emerged from the 1974 JP Movement, along with the likes of Lalu and Nitish, and was known to be the most influential BJP leader since Bihar BJP’s founder Kailashpati Mishra.
Meanwhile the politicians pay tribute to the deceased BJP leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled his shocking demise.
He took to X and said, ” I am deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Sushil Modi ji, my valuable colleague in the party and my friend for decades. He has played an invaluable role in the rise and success of BJP in Bihar.
Strongly opposing the Emergency, he made a name for himself in student politics. He was known as a very hardworking and sociable MLA. He had a deep understanding of the issues related to politics. He also did a lot of commendable work as an administrator. His active role in the passage of GST will always be remembered. My condolences are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief.”
Earlier on April 3, he informed about his condition saying that he was diagnosed with cancer six months ago and that he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections. “I have been battling cancer for the last six months. Now, I feel that the time has come to inform people about it. I will not be able to do anything for Lok Sabha elections,” he had posted on X.
He was a close aide of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar..
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences over the demise of Sushil Kumar Modi and said that the entir BJP stands with his family in the hours of grief. He took to the social media platform X and wrote, “I am saddened by the news of the demise of our senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi ji. Today Bihar has lost a great pioneer of politics forever.
From ABVP to BJP, Sushil ji has adorned many important positions in the organization and government. His politics was dedicated to the interests of the poor and the backward. The void that has emerged in Bihar politics due to his demise cannot be filled for a long time. In this hour of grief, the entire BJP stands with his bereaved family. May God give a place to the departed soul in his lotus feet. Om Shanti Shanti”
BJP President JP Nadda paid homage to the senior leader in a post on X. He wrote, “The news of the demise of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Sushil Modi ji is extremely sad.”
RJD leader and former Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav also paid homage to Modi. He posted, ” I am extremely saddened to hear the news of the untimely demise of the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, our guardian, struggling and hardworking leader respected Shri Sushil Kumar Modi ji. May God grant a place to the departed soul in his feet and provide strength to the family and well-wishers in this hour of grief.:
BJP’s senior leader and Lok Sabha candidate from Patna Sahib, Ravi Shanakar Prasad also expressed condolences.
Vijay Sinha, the deputy CM of Bihar paid homage to the deceased senior leader, calling his demise an irreparable loss for the party.