New Delhi, May 16 (IANS): Congress leaders have expressed grief on the demise of Rajeev Satav, Congress In-charge of Gujarat, who lost his life due to Covid on Sunday.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "I'm very sad at the loss of my friend Rajeev Satav. He was a leader with huge potential who embodied the ideals of the Congress. It's a big loss for us all. My condolences and love to his family."

Expressing grief Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "In Rajeev Satav, we have lost one of our brightest colleagues. Clean of heart, sincere, deeply committed to the ideals of the Congress & devoted to the people of India. I have no words, just prayers for his young wife & children. May they have the strength to carry on without him."

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala remembered his long association with him. "Satav is not the first leader Congress has lost to Covid, it has lost Ahmed Patel and Tarun Gogoi also," he said.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra, Rajeev Satav passed away in a hospital here after a 23-day long battle with Covid-19.

He was 46, and belonged to the core team of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Satav had developed Covid symptoms on April 19 and a swab test turned out to be positive on April 21.

He was admitted to the Jehangir Hospital in Pune and as his condition worsened, a week later he was put on a ventilator.

After a brief spell of recovery, his condition again deteriorated alarmingly since the last week and he remained in the ICU where he succumbed early on Sunday.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday that besides Covid-19, Satav was also being treated cytomegalovirus infection and some additional complications with the help of experts.