JAIPUR: Even as the state reported a rapid decline in
Covid-19 cases, 61-year old Lalit Bhati, a
Congress leader and former minister, died of post-Covid-19 complications at Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) hospital in Ajmer on Wednesday night.
Bhati was elected as an MLA for the first time in 1985. Bhati is the third politician in the state to have succumbed to coronavirus-related complications. Earlier, BD Agarwal, a prominent businessman from
Sriganganagar, who launched his own political party and Congress MLA from
Bhilwara Kailash Trivedi died due to post-Covid complications.
Bhati was rushed to JLN hospital in critical condition on Tuesday night. Before being brought to JLN hospital, he was undergoing treatment under home isolation. The doctors immediately admitted him to the ICU and put him on ventilator support. But, all their efforts went into vain as Bhati breathed his last late on Wednesday.
“He was brought to the hospital at 1.30am on intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday. He had difficultly in breathing. We put him on ventilator support but he died around 9.30pm. We provided him best possible treatment but he died due to shock and respiratory failure. He was diabetic as well, having co-morbidities,” said Dr Anil Kumar Jain, medical superintendent, JLN hospital, Ajmer.
He was tested positive two weeks ago but his condition deteriorated on Tuesday. “We collected his samples for Covid-19 test on Wednesday morning, which tested negative for Covid-19,” said Dr Jain.
The doctors claimed that Bhati had recovered from Covid-19 but he died of post-Covid-19 complications.
Congress leaders expressed condolences on Bhati’s death, who became the youngest minister after elected for the first time. He was elected MLA from Ajmer east in 1998.
“The news of untimely demise of Ajmer’s senior Congress leader, former minister and former MLA shree Lalit Bhati is saddening. In this difficult time, my condolences are with bereaved family. I pray to God to give courage to the family to bear the loss and God may give peace to his departed soul. #Rajasthan,” chief minister
Ashok Gehlot tweeted.
“Saddened to learn of the demise of Sh. Lalit BBhati, former state minister and MLA from
Ajmer city. He succumbed to Covid related complications last night. I had worked closely with him for many years. My deepest condolences to his family. Om Shanti,” tweeted
Sachin Pilot, MLA from Tonk and Congress leader.