RAIPUR: Former Chhattisgarh minister and senior Congress leader Dr Shakrajit Nayak died at a private hospital here on Saturday due to post-COVID complications, his family member said.
He was 78.
Nayak was admitted to Raipur-based Balaji Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
He had later tested negative for the infection.
But his condition deteriorated on Saturday morning and he died of a cardiac arrest, his son and Raigarh MLA Prakash Nayak said.
He is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.
Nayak's last rites will be performed at his native village Nawapali in Raigarh district.
He was twice elected as a BJP MLA in 1990 and 1998.
He was among the twelve BJP MLAs, who had switched to Congress during the erstwhile Ajit Jogi government in 2002.
He was a state irrigation minister in the Jogi government.
He was elected as a Congress legislator from Saria constituency in 2003 and from Raigarh constituency in 2008.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over Dr Nayak's death.