UP minister Vijay Kashyap dies of COVID-19, PM Narendra Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath express grief

Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Revenue and Flood Control Vijay Kashyap is the fifth BJP legislator who has died in the second coronavirus wave.

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Revenue and Flood Control Vijay Kashyap died from coronavirus at Gurgaon's Medanta Hospital on Tuesday. Kashyap (56), who was an MLA from Muzaffarnagar's Charthawal Assembly seat, is the third UP minister who has succumbed to the deadly virus.

Last year, Uttar Pradesh ministers Kamal Rani Varun and Chetan Chauhan had died from the infection. Kashyap is the fifth BJP legislator who has died in the second coronavirus wave.

Earlier, Salon MLA Dal Bahadur Kori, Kesar Singh Gangwar (Nawabganj), Ramesh Diwakar (Auraiya), and Suresh Kumar Srivastava (Lucknow West) had succumbed to the COVID-19 infection. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of the BJP leader and said Kashyap was devoted to public interest works. 

In a tweet (in Hindi), the Prime Minister said, "The death of BJP leader and minister in the Uttar Pradesh government Vijay Kashyap ji is very saddening. He was a leader connected to the grassroots and was always devoted to public interest works. My condolences to his family and supporters in this moment of grief. Om Shanti!"  

भाजपा नेता और उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार में मंत्री विजय कश्यप जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। वे जमीन से जुड़े नेता थे और सदा जनहित के कार्यों में समर्पित रहे। शोक की इस घड़ी में उनके परिजनों और प्रशंसकों के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं। ओम शांति! — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2021

BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the demise of the UP minister and said, "Senior BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Vijay Kashyap will always be remembered for his dedication to public service and the party. Condolences to his family and supporters."

BJP president JP Nadda said, "The untimely demise of Uttar Pradesh Minister Vijay Kashyap is saddening. He was a devoted party worker, his departure is an irreparable loss for the BJP. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family."

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh too expressed grief over his demise. In a statement, CM Yogi said, "Kashyap, an MLA from Charthawal, was a popular leader who discharged his duties diligently as a minister. In his death, people have lost their true well-wisher."

The party's national vice-president Radha Mohan Singh and other senior leaders also condoled the demise of UP minister Vijay Kashyap.

(With Agency Inputs)