Gujarat Assembly ex-speaker passes away

Ahmedabad, Mar 18 (UNI) Dhirubhai Shah, former speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, died here today following cardiac arrest.

He was 55 and survived by two sons and a daughter.

Shah, a leading lawyer and eminent social worker, was active in local politics at Gandhidham of Kutch in early phase of his political career.

In 1998, he was elected to the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha from Rapar Assembly constituency in Kutch on a BJP ticket. In his very first term in the Assembly, he was elected speaker when Keshubhai Patel was the Chief Minister.

However, in 2002 Assembly elections, he was defeated from the Rapar constituency.

Recognising his talent, Chief Minister Narendra Modi made him the chairman of the state Finance Commission.

In 2005, during the 'bidai' ceremony of his daughter after her marriage, he could not bear the shock of being separated from her and slipped into a state of coma. He was in coma till the end.

Late last night, he suffered a heart attack in the comatose condition and died early this morning.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Vidhan sabha speaker Ashok Bhatt, senior ministers, MLAs and others expressed grief at the death of Dhirubhai Shah and paid rich tributes to the departed leader.

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