NEW DELHI -- Former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma breathed his last here on Friday following a heart attack.
Sangma, who unsuccessfully contested the presidential election as an opposition candidate against Pranab Mukherjee, was 68 years old.
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 8 March as a tribute to former Sangma.
The former Meghalaya chief minister was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times since his first entry to the Lower House in 1977. He was the Lok Sabha Speaker between 1996 and 1998.
Sangma was expelled from the Congress in 1999 along with Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar for raising a banner of revolt against Sonia Gandhi over her foreign origin issue. Subsequently, the trio formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
However, he left the NCP in 2004 and formed a regional party, which later merged with Trinamool Congress. He later rejoined the NCP, but only to part ways with it later and unsuccessfully contested the presidential election against Pranab Mukherjee. He was supported by BJP, BJD, AIADMK and others.
"We deeply mourn the passing away of PA Sangma ji, I had learnt how to run Lok Sabha with a smile from him," Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said.
Shri PA Sangma was a self-made leader whose contribution towards the development of the Northeast is monumental. Saddened by his demise.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2016
Shri PA Sangma's tenure as Lok Sabha Speaker is unforgettable. His down to earth personality & affable nature endeared him to many.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2016
Sangma ji was deeply influenced by Netaji Bose. Here's a programme both of us attended in 2012 on Azad Hind Fauj. https://t.co/Jbp1emCrVe
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2016
Shri PA Sangma was a distinguished parliamentarian and a wonderful human being. His demise is deeply saddening. May his soul rest in peace
— Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) March 4, 2016
Our condolences with the family of former Lok Sabha Speaker Shri PA Sangma on his sudden demise. May his soul rest in Peace.
— NSUI (@nsui) March 4, 2016
Saddened to hear about PA Sangma. He was an outstanding parliamentarian & a gregarious & popular leader. My condolences to Agatha & Conrad
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) March 4, 2016
Contact HuffPost India
Also On HuffPost:
