Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying his last respects to Union Minister Gopinath Munde in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 3, 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was extremely saddened by the demise of his "friend" and cabinet colleague Gopinath Munde whom he hailed as a "true mass leader".
"My tributes to a dynamic leader whose premature demise leaves a void hard to fill," Mr Modi tweeted soon after Mr Munde's death following a road accident.
"Extremely saddened & shocked by the demise of my friend & colleague Gopinath Mundeji. His demise is a major loss for the nation & the government.
"Gopinath Mundeji was a true mass leader. Hailing from backward sections of society, he rose to great heights & tirelessly served people," Mr Modi said.
The party and government, he said, stands by the bereaved family members of the 64-year-old leader.