Manohar Joshi, former Maharashtra chief minister, dies at 86
Joshi served as the Lok Sabha Speaker during the Vajpayee government.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi died in Mumbai on Friday, a day after being hospitalised following a cardiac arrest, PTI reported. He was 86 years old.
Joshi had been admitted in the intensive care unit of the PD Hinduja Hospital.
He served as Maharashtra’s chief minister from 1995 to 1999, becoming the first Shiv Sena leader to hold the post. He was the first non-Congress chief minister of the state.
Joshi was the Union minister of heavy industries and public enterprises between 1999 and 2002 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government. Following this, he served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2002 to 2004.
Joshi was also a Rajya Sabha member from 2006 to 2012.
He is survived by a son and two daughters.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction leader Aaditya Thackeray paid his tribute to the politician.
“Today we have lost the senior leader of Shiv Sena, trusted colleague of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, a steadfast Shiv Sainik who always fought for the interests of Shiv Sena and the Marathi people,” Thackeray said in a social media post.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Joshi as a veteran leader who “worked tirelessly for the state’s progress”.
“Manohar Joshi ji will also be remembered for his diligence as a legislator, having had the honour of serving in all four legislatures,” Modi said on social media. “Condolences to his family and supporters.”
Veteran politician and Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar remembered Joshi as a leader who worked hard for the development of Maharashtra.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Joshi’s style of running the House had guided him in his job.
“While enriching democratic values, he established the best parliamentary traditions,” Birla said in a social media post. “Due to his distinctive and fair style of running the House, he had the respect of leaders of all parties.”