Seven term Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Prasad passes away

New Delhi, Dec 27: Rajya Sabha MP from the Janata Dal(United) and industrialist Mahendra Prasad passed away on Sunday at a private hospital after battling prolonged illness, his party said on Monday. He was aged 81.

Mahendra Prasad who is also known as one of the Pharma tycoons of the country was a seven-time parliamentarian from Bihar. He is one of the longest-serving MP of Rajya Sabha.

In 1980, Prasad contested and won his first Lok Sabha election from Jehanabad Constituency in Bihar from Congress' ticket, but lost the 1984 general elections. However, he was nominated for the Rajya Sabha by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985.

Since 1985, Prasad was a member of Rajya Sabha till date.

He was associated with the Congress for a long time and shifted his loyalties later as its fortunes declined in the state and Prasad was nominated in Rajya Sabha by Janta Dal and Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed condolences at the death of Prasad.PTI