Maharashtra Congress leader Jaiprakash Chhajed passes away

Veteran Congress leader and Maharashtra INTUC unit chief Jaiprakash Chhajed died at 75 after a heart attack in Nashik city, party leaders said.

Chhajed had been suffering from various ailments. He was scheduled to attend a Congress meeting at Nagpur but his sons asked him not to travel in view of his health, sources said.

On Tuesday evening, Chhajed suffered a heart attack while he was talking to his son. He was rushed to a private hospital in Nashik city where he breathed his last at around 10.30 pm, they said. The former MLC is survived by his wife and ex-Nashik deputy mayor Shobha Chhajed and three sons.

One of the trusted lieutenants of then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chhajed had contested Assembly elections thrice but could not win. He was later elected as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC).

He went on to become the Maharashtra unit president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). During his tenure, he united various unions of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers and fought for their rights.