He hailed Pant as an economist of high repute who was known for his administrative skills.
"Pant was a nationalist at the core. In his demise the country has lost a learned political leader," Gadkari said.
After his long association with Congress, Pant had joined the BJP in 1998 when it emerged as a ruling party.
The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made him Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission.
During the NDA regime, Pant was also Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir.
