Nanded (Maharashtra), Aug 26 (IANS): Veteran politician and Congress Lok Sabha MP from Nanded Vasant B. Chavan passed away at a private hospital after a prolonged illness, party leaders said here on Monday.

Chavan, 70, was elected to the Lok Sabha in the 2024 general elections, trouncing the BJP's sitting MP Prataprao Chikhalikar.

He was admitted to a Nanded Hospital on August 13 following breathlessness plus related health complications, and a couple of days later airlifted to Hyderabad.

Chavan was suffering from multiple health issues, including low blood pressure, and kidney problems, and breathed his last around 4 a.m. at the Kims Hospital in Hyderabad.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole, Nanded district Chief H. P. Betmogrekar and others have expressed shock over his untimely demise and condoled Chavan's passing while recalling his rich political legacy and contributions to society.

Starting political life as a Sarpanch (village headman) of Naigaon village in 1978, Chavan worked his way up the political ranks as President of Zilla Parishad and then was elected to both Houses of Maharashtra legislature, serving for a total of over 16 years.

He had joined the Congress in 2014 and was elected to the Nanded Lok Sabha seat which was in a shambles after the sitting strongman Ashok Chavan had quit to join the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier this year.

Chavan's victory sent a signal to the Congress rank and file that the party was not erased in Nanded, and it was possible to win without the presence of prominent leaders who became turncoats and fuelled the Maha Vikas Aghadi's spectacular performance in the LS elections.

As a legislator, Chavan served in various capacities in different committees of the state government and was also active in the academic field, serving as President of the Janata High School in Nanded.