File photo of leader Ashutosh Tandon.
Credit: X/@JoshiPralhad
Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders paid tribute to former minister Ashutosh Tandon on his first death anniversary on Saturday.
Fondly called "Gopal ji", Tandon was a three-time MLA from Lucknow East.
"His demise was an irreparable loss not only for the party but also the people of Lucknow," Singh said.
The defence minister recalled Tandon's simple personality and his social contribution and said his life was inspirational for everyone.
Tandon was always dedicated to the interests of society and the public, he added.
"He considered the people of Lucknow his own family and the people of Lucknow also considered him as a member of theirs," the BJP's Lucknow unit quoted the Lucknow MP as saying in a statement.
Adityanath said Tandon was assigned charge of the medical and technical education department when he took over as chief minister in 2017.
"Gopal ji worked with dedication to implement the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Tandon continuously made efforts for the development of SGPGI (Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences), RML (Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences) and other medical institutions in Lucknow, the chief minister said.
"Gopal ji performed his duties with full devotion to improve the condition of medical institutions in the state," he added.
Adityanath said even while battling a serious illness like cancer, Tandon remained positive.
"When I met him, he showed complete positivity towards his health. He always reassured others about his health," he said, calling it the most inspiring aspect of Tandon's life.
Many prominent BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, minister Asim Arun, the party's state chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, and Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma, were present for the programme at Indira Gandhi Pratishthaan.