Advani, Rajnath pay respects to Mahant Avaidyanath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader L K Advani today paid their respects to former MP and head of Gorakhnath peeth Mahant Avaidyanath, who died here yesterday.
Both the senior leaders arrived here this afternoon and paid their respect to the departed leader, whose body has been kept on the premises of the peeth for last darshan, according to a release by the Gorakhpur peeth.
Advani and Singh also met the successor of the late Mahant and party MP, Yogi Adityanath and expressed their deep sympathies and prayed for peace for the departed soul.
Meanwhile, saints and followers in large numbers visited the temple premises to have the last darshans of the Mahant.

In reverence to the demise of the Mahant, several schools, colleges and main markets remained closed today in the city.
The mortal remains would be given 'samadhi' in the temple before which Yogi Adityanath would be anointed as the new 'peethdheshwar' tomorrow.

Mahant Avaidyanath had breathed his last here last night following prolonged illness. He was 95.
The Mahant was admitted to Medanta hospital in Gurgaon. He was brought here last evening and admitted to ICU of the Peeth hospital.
Avaidyanath had represented Gorakhpur seat the Lok Sabha four times and been MLA from Maniram seat five times.