Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and the party's General Secretary Jairam Ramesh have expressed their condolences following the passing of veteran BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
Kharge took to social media to convey his sympathies, stating, "My deepest condolences to the family and supporters of former Deputy Chief Minister and senior Bihar leader, Sushil Modi ji, on his demise. Though our ideologies differed, in a democracy, national interest prevails. His significant contributions to the GST Council will be remembered. May his soul rest in peace."
Similarly, Jairam Ramesh shared his thoughts, saying, "I was saddened to hear about the passing of Sushil Modi, the former Deputy CM of Bihar and a prominent figure in the JP Movement of the mid-70s. Despite our political differences, we maintained a warm personal friendship over the years."
Highlighting Modi's political achievements, Ramesh praised his role as Finance Minister of Bihar and his constructive collaboration with leaders such as Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambaram. He noted Modi's expertise in state finances, citing his visit to Andhra Pradesh to study the impact of women's self-help groups during Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's tenure.
Ramesh also credited Modi for his involvement in the establishment of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (Aajeevika), aimed at promoting bank-linked women's self-help groups nationwide. He commended Modi's parliamentary speeches for their depth and respectful critique of opponents.
Sushil Modi, aged 72, passed away at AIIMS Hospital in New Delhi after a seven-month battle with cancer. He had disclosed his illness last month and refrained from participating in the Lok Sabha election campaign, requesting relief from election-related duties on April 3.
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