Congress MP from Maharashtra Balu Dhanorkar dead

Mumbai: The Congress' lone Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra, Balu Dhanorkar, died at a private hospital in Delhi Tuesday early morning, a party leader said.

He was 48 years old and is survived by wife Pratibha Dhanorkar, an MLA, and two sons.

"He was admitted to a Nagpur-based hospital last week for the treatment of kidney stones. He was later shifted to New Delhi...," Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said.

Dhanokar started his political career in the Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in Chandrapur district and won the assembly election in 2014. However, he was keen on contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Chandrapur seat, which was traditionally contested by the BJP's Hansraj Ahir.

Dhanorkar joined the Congress and defeated Ahir. His wife won from the Warora-Bhadrawati assembly seat in 2019.