Prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday have condoled the death of the former MP Mahant Avaidyanath.
In his condolence message, Mr. Modi said: “He will be remembered for his patriotic zeal and determined efforts to serve society.”
Mr. Naik recalled his old association with the Mahant as a former member of the Lok Sabha.
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The Governor said the late leader played a very active role in development of Gorakhpur.
Mr. Akhilesh Yadav extended his heart-felt sympathies to his followers. Similarly, Mulayam Singh Yadav said the Mahant always worked for the welfare of society without discrimination between castes and creeds. With his death, an era has come to an end, he added.
Avaidyanath, also a former MLA, was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon. He passed away at the Peeth hospital in Gorakhpur, where he was admitted after being brought from Gurgaon on Friday evening.
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Avaidyanath, former chief priest of Gorakhpur’s famous Gorakhnath temple, was also the guru of Yogi Adityanath, current MP from the city and BJP’s firebrand leader who is in the news for his campaign against “love jihad”.
Avaidyanath was elected MLA from Maniram Assembly segment in Gorkhpur five times — 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974 and 1977, while he won his first Lok Sabha poll from Gorakhpur as an Independent in 1970.
He again won this seat in 1989 as a Hindu Mahasabha candidate and later as BJP nominee in 1991 and 1996 before he stepped aside for his protégé Yogi Adityanath from Gorakhpur.