Mortal remains of BJP's Rajasthan chief Madan Lal Saini consigned to flames

Sikar/Jaipur, Jun 25: Mortal remains of Rajasthan BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Madan Lal Saini were consigned to flames in Sikar district on Tuesday.

Saini (75) died on Monday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Delhi. He was diagnosed with infection in lungs and was admitted at a private hospital in Jaipur. On Saturday, he was shifted to Delhi owing to his deteriorating health and was being treated under the Hematology Department at AIIMS. His family members, accompanied by BJP leaders, brought his mortal remains to Sikar by road. The MP's son lit the funeral pyre.

Earlier in the day, his body was kept at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur, where political leaders from across party lines paid floral tributes to him. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress' state president and Deputy Chief minister Sachin Pilot, Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas and other Congress leaders reached the BJP headquarters and paid tributes to Saini.

"The demise is unfortunate. I spoke to him when he was shifted to AIIMS in New Delhi from Jaipur and asked officials in Delhi to look after the arrangements in AIIMS. My thoughts are with the grieved families and I pray for the peace of the departed soul,” Gehlot said.

Pilot also expressed grief over the demise of Saini and said, "Opposition remains in politics but beyond that, respecting each other is in our culture and democracy. We are with the grieved family and I on behalf of the Congress party pay tributes to the departed soul."

A large number of BJP leaders, including former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, former state president of the party Ashok Parnami, and workers were present in the party office. Raje said Saini's demise was very shocking for her and described his death as a big loss to the party.

PTI