Former Bihar CM Ram Sundar Das passes away

Former Bihar chief minister and ruling JD-U leader, 94-year-old Ram Sundar Das died here on Friday.

According to family members, Das breathed his last at the Patna Medical College and Hospital early Friday.

Das, whose trademark dress was a cotton dhoti, kurta and Gandhi cap, is survived by two sons and one daughter. His wife passed away a few years ago.

Expressing condolences, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Das was active in politics till early this week when he was admitted to the hospital for age related problems.

"It is a big loss for the party, Bihar, and me personally," Kumar said.

Das, who was not able to move freely due to old age, contested his last Lok Sabha polls in 2014 against Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan but lost.

"He was the oldest parliamentarian in the country last year and was also probably the oldest candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha election," a JD-U leader said.

He was chief minister of Bihar as the head of the Janata Party government in 1979.

Das, who was a Dalit leader, was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 at the age of 70.