Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday due to the death of Congress MLA Dr Anil Joshiyara from COVID-19.
Joshiyara, who was 69, was a five-time MLA from Bhiloda (ST) seat in the Arvalli district.
As per Congress leaders, he died of COVID-19 infection in a Chennai hospital on Monday afternoon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of the MLA.
During the discussion on an appropriation bill, Deputy Leader of Opposition Shailesh Parmar informed about Joshiyara's death, resulting in all legislators observing two-minute silence as tribute, after which Speaker Nimaben Acharya adjourned the House for the day.
"Pained to know about the death of Bhiloda MLA Anil Joshiyara. He will always be remembered as a good public servant. May Lord give peace to his soul. My condolences to his family members," PM Modi tweeted in Gujarati.
Joshiyara had contracted coronavirus in January and was shifted from a private hospital in Ahmedabad to the Tamil Nadu capital a month ago for advanced treatment of the lungs.
Joshiyara, a surgeon, was first elected as an MLA from Bhiloda seat in 1995 on a BJP ticket and had served as health minister between 1996 and 1997 in a government headed by Shankersinh Vaghela.
Later, Joshiyara joined Congress after Vaghela merged his Rashtriya Janata Party in the Congress in 1998. He was winning from Bhiloda on a Congress ticket since then.
