Seva Dal leader dies during Bharat Jodo Yatra

Senior Seva Dal leader Krishna Kumar Pandey died in Nanded during the Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Rich tributes were paid to Pandey, who was the general secretary of Seva Dal.

Pandey was walking alongside former environment and forest minister and AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh when he collapsed.

Ramesh tweeted a photo of Pandey walking with him holding the tricolour.

“This is probably Krishna Kumar Pandey’s last photograph…walking with a smile holding the national flag high with the Seva Dal on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Salute,” Ramesh tweeted.

“Pandey was holding the national flag and walking with Singh and me. After a few minutes, as is the practice, he handed the flag to a colleague and moved back. Thereafter he collapsed,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to Pandey and spoke to his son and other relatives. He said Pandey held the national flag till the very last moment.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, former chief minister Ashok Chavan, AICC in-charge of Maharashtra HK Patil, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, AICC in-charge of Organisation KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh were among those who paid tributes to Pandey.

“The Congress has lost a staunch and loyal warrior,” said Chavan.