Rahul, Modi condole demise of Somnath Chatterjee

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday condoled the death of former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee and said he was respected by parliamentarians across party lines.

"I mourn the passing away of Shri Somnath Chatterjee, 10 term MP and former speaker of the Lok Sabha," Gandhi tweeted.

"He was an institution. Greatly respected and admired by all parliamentarians, across party lines. My condolences to his family at this time of grief," he said.

Chatterjee made Indian democracy richer: PM Modi

Somnath Chatterjee made Indian democracy richer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday condoling the demise of the former Lok Sabha Speaker.

Describing him as a stalwart of Indian politics, the prime minister said, Chatterjee, made Parliamentary democracy richer and was a strong voice for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable.

"Anguished by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and supporters," Modi tweeted.

Chatterjee passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday morning following multiple organ failure.

A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the CPI(M), which he had joined in 1968.

He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.