By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Saturday condoled the death of veteran Congress leader Devendra Nath Dwivedi, who was appointed governor of Gujarat a fortnight ago but was yet to take charge, saying that the nation has lost a “distinguished public figure.”
In her message to Dwivedi’s wife Vidya, the president said: “I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Devendra Nath Dwivedi.”
“He was a veteran lawyer and parliamentarian. In his death, the nation has lost a distinguished public figure.”
The veteran Congress leader died here Saturday of liver complications. He was 74.
Dwivedi, a former Supreme Court lawyer, was appointed governor of Gujarat July 18. But before he could take over, he developed liver complications and was admitted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital a fortnight ago.
He had also served as the additional solicitor general of India.
Dwivedi served the Congress party in various capacities for over four decades. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1974 to 1980.
He was a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision making body, and had been a party general secretary when P.V. Narasimha Rao was the prime minister.