A.R. Antulay, Maharashtra's first Muslim CM, is dead

Congress veteran Abdul Rahman Antulay, Maharashtra's first Muslim chief minister and a former central minister, died here Tuesday following prolonged illness, his nephew said. He was 85.

Antulay passed away at the Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted a few days ago.

He is survived by his wife Nargis, son Naved and daughters Neelam, Shabnam and Mubina, said nephew and son-in-law Mushtaque Antulay.

Known as 'Barrister Antulay', he was the state's first Muslim chief minister, from June 1980 to January 1982 and a loyalist of then Congress president and prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The party's most prominent face in the Konkan region, Antulay served as a union minister in 1995 and later in the UPA-I government of prime minister Manmohan Singh.

"We plan to hold the funeral ceremonies Wednesday in his village Ambet in Raigad district," Mushtaque Antulay told IANS.

This is the second Congress veteran to die in Maharashtra after former union minister Murli Deora expired in Mumbai Nov 24.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condoled the demise of Antulay.

"Maharashtra has lost a leader who worked for the interest of the common man," Fadnavis said.

Political leaders cutting across party lines, including former chief minister Manohar Joshi of the Shiv Sena, paid glowing tributes to Antulay.