L P Shahi's death condoled in Bihar

Bihar Governor Satya Pal Mallik and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were among a a host of political leaders who condoled the death of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Laliteshwar Prasad Shahi who breathed his last at a hospital in New Delhi.

In his message, Mallik described Shahi as a "patriot who had taken part in the freedom struggle and whose life was marked by probity and integrity".

Kumar said "the the demise of Shahi who was a renowned social and political activist, is an irreparable loss to Bihar".

Others who condoled the death of Shahi included Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Tejashwi Yadav and leader of the Opposition in legislative council Rabri Devi, former Union minister and NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

In a release issued here, the Bihar Congress said Shahi's body will be brought to the Sadaqat Ashram - the party's state headquarters - tomorrow and cremated thereafter at Digha ghat, a few kilometres away.

The release also said that an Iftaar party, to be hosted by BPCC working president Kaukab Qadri on Sunday, has been cancelled in view of Shahi's death.

Condolences were also offered by AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil, Congress legislature party leader Sadanand Singh and former Union minister Shakil Ahmed, among others.

Shahi had served as a Minister of State for Education and Culture when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister.

His daughter-in-law Veena Shahi was a minister in the Rabri Devi government in Bihar (2000-2005). She had entered politics after her husband Hemant, sitting MLA from Vaishali, was gunned down in what was viewed as one of the most sensational cases of assassination of a public figure in Bihar.