NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Telangana Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday condoled the death of former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee by calling it a great loss.
"Saddened at the passing away of Somnath-Da. My condolences to his family and admirers. This is a great loss for us," the Trinamool Congress supremo tweeted.
Kumar in his condolence message said Mr Chatterjee was known for his strict adherence to high political values and principles. He said that Mr Chatterjee was elected to Lok Sabha 10 times.
Mr Kumar said that Mr Chatterjee was unanimously elected to the post of Lok Sabha Speaker due to his extraordinary political values.
When Mr Chatterjee was the Lok Sabha Speaker, he had introduced the system of live telecast of zero hour, the CM added.
Mr Kumar prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and adequate strength to his family members and supporters to withstand the loss.
In his condolence message, K. Chandrasekhar Rao described him as a great parliamentarian and a person who conducted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha with the highest standards.
Rao recalled his association with Chatterjee when he was an MP and as an Union Minister.
The Chief Minister said that while agitating for a separate Telangana and when TRS MPs resigned for the cause, Chatterjee was the Speaker and he gave them enough time to put forward their argument in the House.
Chatterjee, 89, breathed his last at a private clinic here following a cardiac arrest and prolonged illness.
The former Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader, who was expelled from the party in 2008, after representing it since 1968, was critical following the heart attack he suffered on Sunday.
The 10-time MP was also suffering from a kidney-related ailment and was admitted to the Bellevue Clinic in a critical condition on August 7.
(With inputs from UNI.)