Chandan Mitra passes away, politicians flock on Twitter to mourn

Editor and politician Chandan Mitra breathed his last late night on Wednesday. Mitra’s son Kushan Mitra confirmed the news, saying that his father had been ailing for a while. The former Rajya Sabha MP was 65.Mitra’s demise was mourned by politicians across the spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the former BJP politician saying “he will always be remembered for his intellect and insights”. PM Modi said that Mitra had distinguished himself in the fields of both politics and media.The President of India Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his grief, saying that Mitra's death "leaves a void in Indian journalism".Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Mitra was known for his “deep knowledge, sharp writings, and contributions towards journalism and politics”. He expressed his condolences to the family.Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju mourned his “dear old friend” Mitra’s demise, saying he would always cherish their friendship and the moments they shared together.Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, mourned the death of his old friend Mitra, saying “I lost my closest friend”. Posting an old picture of the two of them, Daspugta said he hoped that Mitra would be happy wherever he was now.Ram Madhav, senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member, offered his condolences to the family.Industrialist and former MP Naveen Jindal also mourned the former Pioneer editor’s demise, calling him a “kind person and hub of knowledge”.Mitra had quit as the publisher and printer of The Pioneer earlier this year. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from 2003 to 2009, before he was elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh in 2010 on a BJP ticket. Mitra’s second term ended in 2016. He was a close aide of veteran BJP leader L K Advani.A former BJP MP, Mitra had resigned from the party to join the Trinamool Congress in 2018. He reportedly made this choice for the “betterment” of the state.