GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday due to the death of Congress MLA Dr Anil Joshiyara from Covid-19.
Joshiyara, who was 69, was a five-time MLA from Bhiloda (ST) seat in Arvalli district.
As per Congress leaders, he died of Covid-19 infection in a Chennai hospital on Monday afternoon.
During the discussion on an appropriation bill, Deputy Leader of Opposition Shailesh Parmar informed about Joshiyara's death, resulting in all legislators observing two-minute silence as tribute, after which Speaker Nimaben Acharya adjourned the House for the day.
Joshiyara had contracted coronavirus in January and was shifted from a private hospital in Ahmedabad to the Tamil Nadu capital a month ago for advanced treatment of the lungs.
Joshiyara, a surgeon, was first elected as an MLA from Bhiloda seat in 1995 on a BJP ticket and had served as health minister between 1996 and 1997 in a government headed by Shankersinh Vaghela.
Later, Joshiyara joined Congress after Vaghela merged his Rashtriya Janata Party in the Congress in 1998.
He was winning from Bhiloda on a Congress ticket since then.