INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ashok Gasti, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP in Rajya Sabha from Karnataka is in critical condition at a private hospital in Bengaluru
where he is being treated for Covid-19
A first-time member of parliament, Gasti was elected to Rajya Sabha in June of this year.He is undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a
private hospital in Bengaluru where he was admitted after testing positive for the virus on September 2.It was earlier reported that Gasti
succumbed to Covid-19 and multiple leaders, including the President, the Vice President and Lok Sabha Speaker, even put out condolence
However, Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru where the MP is being treated issued a statement saying, "Mr Ashok Gasti, Honorable Member of
Parliament from Rajya Sabha, was admitted with Severe COVID-19 pneumonia at Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road
He is critically ill with multiorgan failure on life support system in the Intensive care unit."Apart from being a former general secretary
of the BJP's OBC cell, Gasti has also served as chairperson of the Karnataka Backward Class Development Corporation.His name was nominated
by the part for the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections along with Eranna Kadadi
In fact, the BJP's Karnataka unit had recommended the names of Prabhakar Kore, Ramesh Katti and Prakash Shetty
Two of the three names were ignored by the party's high command in this regard.He was a practicing lawyer by profession prior to his
election to the Upper House of Parliament.Vice President Venkaiah Naidu had expressed sorrow at Gasti's demise
In a tweet, he said, "Deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shri Ashok Gasti, Rajya Sabha Member
He was known for his simplicity and commitment for the upliftment of the downtrodden
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members
Om Shanti!"Others who expressed their condolences include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister
Inderjit Rao Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.Editor's Note: An earlier version
of this report said that Ashok Gasti had passed away and reported the messages of condolences posted by several leaders
A hospital statement later clarified on his health condition
This report has been updated accordingly.
