Former West Bengal MLA Gyan Singh Sohanpal passes away

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, August 8

Former Kharagpur MLA and veteran Congress leader Gyan Singh Sohanpal died at the SSKM Hospital here on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 93.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, “Saddened at the passing of Gyan Singh Sohanpalji. We have lost a veteran legislator. My condolences to his family and friends (sic)”.

Saddened at the passing of Gyan Singh Sohan Pal ji. We have lost a veteran legislator. My condolences to his family & friends 1/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 8, 2017

He was a very senior member of the West Bengal Assembly. Tomorrow, the Govt will give his mortal remains a gun salute 2/2

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 8, 2017

“He was a very senior member of the West Bengal Assembly. Tomorrow, the Govt will give his mortal remains a gun salute, (sic)” she added in another tweet.

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After having won a record nine times from the Kharagpur Sadar assembly constituency, Gyan Singh had lost to BJP state president Dilip Ghosh in the assembly elections held last year.

Though he had lost in the last election he contested, Gyan Singh, known as “Chacha” in Kharagpur, remained an immensely respected and popular character to his constituents.

The “Chacha”, a bachelor, had remained transport minister of West Bengal.

Introduction of minibus on Kolkata streets took place during his tenure as transport minister. Gyan Singh was also a deputy speaker of the assembly.

The body of Gyan Singh will be cremated tomorrow. Mamata Banerjee has announced that gun salute will be given to the mortal remains of the veteran MLA during the cremation.