Rajya Sabha member Ashok Gasti (55) passed away on Thursday night in a private hospital in Bengaluru due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia that led to multi-organ failure. Gasti, who had been elected unopposed to the Upper House of the Parliament from the BJP in June this year, was BJP's state backward classes morcha president.
The BJP's election committee had chosen two party workers—Gasti, along with Eeranna Kadadi—over senior leaders to the Rajya Sabha, in recognition of their services.
An advocate by profession, Gasti was associated with ABVP, RSS, and had been serving as BJP's Raichur-Ballari Parliamentary constituency in-charge. Gasti belongs to the 'savita' (barber) community and is from the backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region (Kalyana Karnataka).
On Thursday evening, there were rumours of the MP's passing away. However, the director of Manipal Hospital, where the MP was undergoing treatment issued a clarification stating the MP was "critically ill" with multi-organ failure and was on life support system in the intensive care unit.
A few hours later, Manish Rai, director of the hospital, issued a statement confirming the death. "Shri Ashok Gasti, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha who was admitted to Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road on 02.09.2020, diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, passed away at 10.31pm. He was 55 years old. He was critically ill with multi-organ failure, on life support system in the intensive care unit, under constant observation by our expert panel of doctors. We deeply regret the loss and express our condolences to his family and friends," said the statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted to condole the death of the MP, and said Gasti was a "dedicated karyakarta" who worked hard to strengthen the BJP in Karnataka. "He was passionate about empowering the poor and the marginalised sections of the society. Anguished by his passing. Condolences to his family and friends."
