Gujarat Rajya Sabha MP Abhay Bharadwaj dies of COVID-19; PM Narendra Modi expresses grief

The Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Abhay Bharadwaj, was a prominent lawyer and was elected to the Upper House in June this year.

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Abhay Bharadwaj, on Tuesday (December 1) died in Chennai hospital following the post-COVID-19 complications. Abhay Bharadwaj was admitted to MGM Healthcare hospital for post-COVID severe pneumonia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief on the demise of Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Abhay Bharadwaj. 

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Shri Abhay Bharadwaj Ji was a distinguished lawyer and remained at the forefront of serving society. It is sad we have lost a bright and insightful mind, passionate about national development. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti."

Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Shri Abhay Bharadwaj Ji was a distinguished lawyer and remained at the forefront of serving society. It is sad we have lost a bright and insightful mind, passionate about national development. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 1, 2020

The MGM Healthcare hospital, where he was undergoing treatment in Chennai released a statement to express condolences to the family. 

Bharadwaj (66) was a prominent lawyer and was elected to Rajya Sabha in June this year. He tested coronavirus positive in August, after attending party meetings and a roadshow in Rajkot. 

He was first admitted to the government-run COVID hospital in Rajkot and put on artificial lung support. A team of senior doctors later flew to Rajkot and on their suggestion, Bharadwaj was put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy to improve his oxygen saturation levels, a doctor said.