Former Union minister and Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev died at a hospital in Silchar, Assam, on Wednesday morning after a prolonged battle with an illness. The 86-year-old was recently admitted to the hospital after he developed pneumonia, PTI reported.

Dev is survived by his wife, former legislator Bithika Dev, and four daughters, including Congress MP Sushmita Dev. “Nothing could have prepared me for this moment,” Sushmita Dev said on Twitter. “I lost him at 6.06 am today.”

Dev was the Union minister for heavy industries and public enterprise in the first United Progressive Alliance government. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha seven times – five times from Silchar and twice from Tripura.

Condolence messages poured in through the morning as news of his death spread. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a veteran leader who worked exclusively for the people and said that his thoughts are with Dev’s family and friends.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee also said he was deeply saddened by the death of his “long-time friend and colleague”.