Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Senior BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who was ailing for some time, died at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) here on Saturday night.
Kalyan Singh was admitted to the hospital on July 4 following the deterioration in his health condition. "Former Chief Minister of UP and Ex-Governor of Rajasthan Kalyan Singh Ji breathed his last today. He was admitted to SGPGI on July 4 in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. He died due to sepsis and multi-organ failure," said a statement by the hospital.
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Tributes poured in for the prominent backward caste leader with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the two-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister's "indelible contribution" towards the development of the state and the "cultural regeneration" of India. " I am saddened beyond words. Kalyan Singh Ji…statesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader & great human. He leaves behind an indelible contribution towards the development of Uttar Pradesh. Spoke to his son Rajveer Singh and expressed condolences. Om Shanti," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet. "Generations to come will remain forever grateful to Kalyan Singh Ji for his contributions towards India's cultural regeneration. He was firmly rooted in Indian values and took pride in our centuries-old traditions," he said.
President Ram Nath Kovind condoled the death of Kalyan Singh saying he had a "magical connect" with the masses. "Kalyan Singh ji had a magical connect with masses. As chief minister of UP, he determinedly pursued clean politics and purged governance of criminals and corruption," the president said in a message on Twitter. "He dignified the offices he held. His demise leaves a vacuum in public life. My heartfelt condolences," Kovind said.