Former Bihar minister Kameshwar Paswan passes away

Former Bihar minister and senior BJP leader Kameshwar Paswan died here early this morning after prolonged illness, family sources said.

He was 77 and is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

Expressing grief, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Mallik described Paswan as "a dynamic nationalist leader whose death has caused irreparable loss to the politics of Bihar and the country".

Condoling his death, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that the former minister's last rites will be performed with full state honours.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi also mourned the death of Paswan.

Paswan belonged to a generation that witnessed the growth of the BJP since Jan Sangh days, Sushil Kumar Modi said.

According to a release issued by the 'Vidhan Sabha' (Legislative Assembly), Paswan had started his political career representing Fatuha Assembly constituency.

He was elected from the seat for two times in 1970s.

He also served as a minister between 1977 and 1979 when the Janata Party, formed after merger of a number of divergent political groups, including the Jana Sangh, had assumed power in the country as well as in Bihar.

Paswan was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1990 and in 1996 he won the Nawada Lok Sabha seat.