Former Minister Chaturanan Mishra passes away

NEW DELHI: Former Union Minister and senior CPI leader Chaturanan Mishra today passed away following prolonged illness.

The 86-year-old leader breathed his last in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was undergoing treatment for quite some time.

A freedom fighter, he participated in the Quit India movement and was badly injured in Darbhanga jail then. He was born in Nahar village of Madhubani district on April 7 in 1925.

A three time member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from 1969 to 1980, he was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1984 and 1990 and to Lok Sabha in 1996 from Madhubani constituency.

Mishra was Cabinet Minister for Agriculture in the United Front governments headed by H D Devegowda and I K Gujaral in 1996.

He had also served as the national president of All India Trade Union Congress.

Condoling the death, CPI general secretary D Raja said that Mishra's demise is an irreparable loss to the party.

"He was one of prominent third generation leaders, who played a key role in building the party," Raja said.