Senior BJP leader and former MP, Daulatrao Aher, passed away following prolonged illness at his Nashik residence in north Maharashtra. He was 74.
An ENT surgeon, Dr Aher breathed his last around 3 am at his residence, his younger brother Dr Balasaheb Aher told reporters.
Hailing from Nashik's Deola tehsil, Dr Aher was also an agriculturist and an education magnate. A three-time MLA from Nashik Assembly constituency, he was a member of the legislature from 1985-1989, 1995-199, and 1999-2004. Dr Aher was also elected to the Lok Sabha for one term from 1989-1991 where he served on the Public Accounts Committee, Panchayati Raj committee briefly. He was the Health Minister in the Manohar Joshi cabinet when Shiv Sena and the BJP formed their first government from 1995-1999. Sidelined in the BJP after 1999, he quit the party and joined the NCP when Cong-NCP government came to power in 1999, but soon returned to the BJP.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condoled his demise, and credited him for BJP’s rise in Nashik district in 1980s. “His work in the social, agriculture, education, co-operative sectors left its own mark in Nashik district,” he said.
Dr Aher was the chairman of Nashik’s leading educational institute Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj, and also associated with several other social organisations.
Nashik Mayor Ashok Murtadak, former state social welfare minister Babanrao Gholap, and leaders of various political parties visited his home on Gangapur Road and paid homage to the departed leader.
He was cremated in his hometown, Devla, near Nashik in the presence of a large number of people, Maharashtra ministers, BJP leaders, party MLAs and supporters.
His son Rahul, is an MLA from Chandwad constituency in Nashik district. (With inputs from PTI)
