The first non-Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and senior BJP leader Kailash Chandra Joshi died on Sunday after a prolonged illness. "He breathed his last at the Bansal Hospital here (Bhopal)," his son and former state minister Deepak Joshi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Hailed as the "saint of Indian politics, the veteran BJP leader was the first non-Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. The 90-year-old is survived by three sons and three daughters. His wife had also died recently.
Born on July 14, 1929, Joshi, served as the Madhya Pradesh CM from 1077 to 1978. He was MLA for eight terms and also served as a member of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. His last rites will be performed at his ancestral town Hatpipalya in Dewas district.
As soon as the news of his demise broke, former MP CM Shivsraj Singh Chouhan reached the Bansal Hospital. "Kailash Joshi always stayed away from hypocrisy and grandeur and created the large organisation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party. He served the people as a skilled organiser, a thinker and a philosopher and fought for them when ever the need arose. He always served the public," Chouhan said.
Prime Minister also offered his condolences on Joshi's demise and credited him for strengthening Jan Sangh and the BJP in central India. "Kailash Joshi Ji was a stalwart who made a strong contribution towards Madhya Pradesh’s growth. He worked hard to strengthen Jan Sangh and BJP in Central India. He made a mark as an effective legislator. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters," the prime minister said.
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