Former BJP union minister Bhavna Chikhalia dead

Former Union minister of state and the first woman to get elected to the Lower House (Lok Sabha) from Gujarat for four consecutive terms, Bhavna Chikhalia died today following a cardiac arrest in a private hospital here, hospital authorities said.
Hospital authorities said that Bhavna Chikhalia (59) was transferred to Sterling Hospital in city from HCG Medisurge Hospital in the city last evening in a very critical condition (post-operative status).
She died due to what hospital authorities termed as "cardio-respiratory arrest in a case of acute renal failure and multi-organ failure".
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi condoled her demise, calling her a dedicated party worker.

"Sad to know of demise of former Union Minister Bhavnaben Chikhalia. We have lost a dedicated karyakarta in her. May her soul rest in peace," Modi tweeted on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
She was union minister of state for tourism, culture and parliamentary affairs from 1998-2003 in the NDA government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee. She was also the chairperson of the Railway Convention Committee from 1999-02.
She was a member of the 86-member campaign committee, announced by BJP state president R C Faldu, for the Gujarat assembly polls last December. BJP state spokesperson I K Jadeja also condoled her death.

Bhavnaben Chikhalia first got elected to the Lok Sabha from 1991,before registering victories again in 1996, 1998 and 1999.