Veteran Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi passed away today in New Delhi after being in coma since 2008. The 72-year-old was one of the most popular leaders in Bengal and represented the Raiganj constituency. He was a parliamentarian who enjoyed cross-party goodwill. Mr Dasmunsi was union Parliamentary Affairs Minister when he suffered a massive stroke in 2008 that left him paralysed and unable to speak. Blood supply to a part of his brain was cut off, which caused irreversible damage. While his body systems were functional, he used to breathe through a tracheostomy tube attached to his neck and was fed through a tube in his stomach. He was not conscious of his surroundings, a report said.
After Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi suffered a stroke in 2008, his wife Deepa Dasmunsi became active in party politics and also contested and won parliamentary polls. She was was also a union minister in the Congress-led UPA government.
After his demise, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "We will miss Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi ji. A brilliant political mind and a good human being. Bengal and the Congress party have lost a tall leader. Our thoughts are with Deepa ji today."
Condolences were also expressed on Twitter by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former President Pranab Mukherjee and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee among many others.
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