Gangotri MLA and senior BJP leader Gopal Rawat died of cancer on Thursday. He was 62 years old and undergoing treatment in a Dehradun-based hospital since December last year.
He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. His mortal remains will be consigned to flames in Uttarkashi on Friday.
Tributes started pouring in soon after Rawat’s death. In a tweet, Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat said, “I am saddened to hear about the demise of MLA Gopal Rawat. He was battling a serious illness for a long time. I met him in the hospital on April 17. I shall always cherish my memories associated with him.”
State BJP chief Madan Kaushik said that Rawat’s death is a loss for the people of Uttarakhand. Manvir Singh Chauhan, media in-charge, Uttarakhand BJP, said, “He was very popular among the people of his constituency because of the developmental works that he undertook. He was a soft-spoken leader.”
