Former Congress minister Salim Zakaria no more

MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader Salim Zakaria passed away here this morning following a cardiac arrest.

He was 74 and is survived by three sons and a daughter, family sources said.

Zakaria's son Al Naseer is a spokesperson of the Maharashtra Congress.

Salim Zakaria was a minister of state for education in 1992-93 in the Sharad Pawar-led government. He represented the Bandra west assembly constituency here.

State Congress president Ashok Chavan condoled his death. "Zakaria was an intellectual and a multi-faceted personality who started out in public life as a corporator. As the chairman of Haj committee, he strived to resolve issues of the devotees," Chavan said.