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President K R Narayanan on Sunday expressed shock at the death of senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia, who was killed in an air crash near Kanpur.
"A bright political career and promising leadership has been cut short in the prime by this gruesome crash. The scion of the illustrious Gwalior royal family, Madhavrao Scindia's was a life dedicated to the welfare of people through his chosen path of politics", he said in his letter to Scindia's wife, Madhavi Raje Scindia.
The President said he had the good fortune of closely interacting and working with Scindia both inside and outside Parliament for the past two decades and was deeply impressed by his charming personality, warmth and humility.
"Winning nine consecutive elections and holding important portfolios in the Union Cabinet, Scindia represented the young and dynamic face of Congress party," he said.
Pranab Mukherjee "This is so sad," said senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee. "Absolutely unbelievable. He was so young, no age to die.
"You know, this news brings before my eyes so many images. When he was just 26, he got elected on a Jan Sangh ticket. I remember when he came to Parliament as the youngest MP in our party.
"He won continuously, against anyone who cared to stand against him. So much so that he once defeated Atal Bihari Vajpayee himself.
"I remember him as a bright young minister in Narasimha Rao's Cabinet, he was with us in the Congress Working Committee, all of us have so many associations with him.
"How can we forget?
"It is a rude shock, simply unbelievable. In politics, he was a force to reckon with.
"I suppose, since he was Maharaja of Gwalior, the family will want to take his body to Gwalior for the last rites."
Shivraj Patil Former Lok Sabha Speaker and senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil said, "It is an insurmountable loss to us and indeed for the whole nation."
Patil said that Scindia had performed brilliantly as the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, raising issues of national and international importance from which the party had benefitted.
GVG Krishnamurthy Former election commissioner G V G Krishmurthy described Madhavrao Scindia as a Congress leader who had a bright future ahead of him.
"When I was election commissioner of India Scindia would often drop in at my residence and chat with me for hours. He was an upright man who was devoted to the nation's interest. His sudden death has left a vacuum in the Indian political scene, particularly in the congress party," Krishnmurthy said.
Anand Sharma Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said he was shocked by the news of Madhavrao Scindia's death.
"He was very active and alert person who took keen interest in the parliamentary debates. He used to inform himself well. He not only talked to his colleagues and shared their views on various subjects, he would also have brain storming sessions with a select group of people who had expertise in that particular field which was being debated in Parliament," Sharma told rediff.com.
Bisham Narain Singh Former governor of Tamil Nadu, Bisham Narain Singh, described Scindia's death as a personal loss.
"I had known Madhavrao Scindia for over two decades. On a number of occasions I had the privilege of interacting with him on various issues. He was a fine human being and a politician who had a bright future ahead of him. A brilliant career has been cut short," he said.
With inputs from PTI
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