Dilip Gandhi, former union minister and BJP leader, dies in Delhi; was COVID-19 positive

Dilip Gandhi, former union minister and BJP leader died at a private hospital in Delhi on March 17. He was COVID-19 positive and was undergoing treatment for the same. However, no links have been made between the infection and the cause of death.

Gandhi started his career in politics by holding key positions in the district organisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) such as General Secretary, Joint Secretary and President. He was elected to the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation as a Councilor.

Later in 1985, he was appointed vice-president of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation.

In 1999, he was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from the Ahmednagar constituency in Maharashtra. From January 29, 2003, to March 15, 2004, Gandhi was Union Minister of State, Ministry of Shipping.

In 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from the same constituency. And in 2014, he was re-elected with a margin of 200,000 votes in the Indian general elections in which BJP had a huge victory.