Naveen Patnaik condoles Chandra Shekhar's death

Bhubaneswar, July 8 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed shock and grief over the death of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.

In a condolence message, the Chief Minister said Chandra Shekhar was a great patriot and democrat and would be remembered for his efforts to promote democratic values and welfare of the poor people.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray said Chandra Shekhar and he were close colleagues in the socialist movement since 1957. He fought valiantly against the declaration of emergency.

''His demise came to me as a bolt from the blue. In his death the country lost a forward looking politician,'' Mr Ray said.

Former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das, in a condolence message, expressed his deep shock and said the demise had created a void in the politics of the country that could never be filled up.

UNI