Opposition leader in UP Legislative Council Ahmed Hasan dies at 89

Lucknow, Feb 19: Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ahmed Hasan passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Lucknow.

He was aged 89 and survived by two sons and five daughters. A few days ago, Hasan was admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Lucknow and breathed his last at 11 am on Saturday, his son-in-law Fida Hussain Ansari said.

He will be cremated at his ancestral place Jalalpur in Ambedkarnagar district on Sunday. Hasan is a retired police officer and was brought into politics by Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He served as a cabinet minister in the SP government in the state.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his grief at Hasan's demise.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet in Hindi said, "The death of senior leader of Samajwadi Party and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ahmed Hassan is a matter of great sadness for all of us. Heartfelt tribute!" PTI