Rajasthan: Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Kooner passes away

Jaipur (Rajasthan): Congress candidate from Karanpur Assembly for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections, Gurmeet Singh Kooner, passed away early this morning, his son told ANI over the phone.

The party had fielded Kooner from the Karanpur Assembly seat again.

He was undergoing treatment at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the National Capital. He was 75. His son further told ANI that the family had taken the body to his native place Sri Ganganagar, a city in Rajasthan.

In his condolence message, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot mourned the demise of the senior Congress leader.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the demise of Karanpur MLA and former minister Shri Gurmeet Singh Kooner. Despite being unwell for a long time, Shri Kooner was always striving for development work in his area. Kooner Saheb's demise is an irreparable loss for the Congress Party and the politics of Rajasthan. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and courage to the family" Gehlot said.

Kooner was a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly representing the Karanpur constituency, which he won in the 2018 election.

He was previously elected from the constituency in the 1998 and 2008 Assembly elections. Rajasthan is set to undergo assembly polls on November 25 and counting of votes will be done on December 3. BJP won 163 seats in the 2013 Legislative Assembly elections and formed the government in Rajasthan.

In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress won 99 seats while the BJP won 73 seats in the 200-member House.

(ANI)