Rajasthan Congress leader Rameshwar Dudi passes away

Jaipur: Congress leader and former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rameshwar Dudi, died at his residence in Bikaner on Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 62.

Dudi had been in a coma for more than two years following a brain stroke in August 2023. His funeral will be held later in the day in Bikaner.

A prominent farmer leader, Dudi was the Leader of the Opposition between 2013 and 2018 during the BJP government in Rajasthan and was also elected as a member of Parliament from Bikaner. His wife, Sushila Dudi, is a Congress MLA.

Several Congress leaders, including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress chief Govind Dotasra, and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully, expressed grief over his demise.

"The passing of Rameshwar Dudi, former Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament from Bikaner, is deeply saddening. His demise after nearly two years of illness is a personal loss to me," Gehlot said.

He said Dudi always worked for the welfare of farmers.