Rahul Gandhi said he was respected by parliamentarians across party lines.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today condoled the death of former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata this morning following multiple organ failure.
The former Lok Sabha Speaker and expelled member of the CPM died just after 8 am today at a hospital in Kolkata. He had been in and out of hospital since June-end after suffering a stroke. Mr Chatterjee had celebrated his 89th birthday on July 29.
Lok Sabha Speaker from 2004 to 2009, Mr Chatterjee was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for 40 years since 1968, represented the party 10 times in parliament, and was acknowledged as one of its most brilliant ever.