Thaindian News

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Top Congress leaders from Maharashtra paid rich tributes to senior party leader and Rajasthan Governor Prabha Rau, who died in New Delhi, saying she had worked very hard to take the party to new heights.
Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who is also a former chief minister: The Congress has lost a veteran politician. She was an extremely disciplined leader and tried hard to imbibe the discipline in Congress workers. She worked very hard to see that the Congress reaches new heights.

Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde: She was a visionary politician. She always struggled for the welfare of the common man. She was a motherly figure to all Congresssmen and her loss is irreparable. It is very difficult to find a straightforward leader like she was.

Maharashtra state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre: She was a senior leader who led workers and masses by example, she will be missed by the grassroots workers.

MPCC general secretary Sanjay Dutt (not the film actor): Her commitment to the organisation was exemplary.

Minister Harshawardhan Patil: She was an excellent administrator and had very good organisational skills. She had made a tremendous impact as an MLA, state minister, president of the state unit, and as a governor. It is an irrevocable loss for the Congress.

Sachin Sawant, general secretary of the Mumbai Congress: Prabhatai’s demise has made Congress workers feel deprived of a motherly figure. She was a dynamic leader and earned the respect of common workers and the trust of the Congress high command with her commitment, capacity and loyalty.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan in a message, said: “The passing of Smt Prabha Rau is indeed shocking.”

Describing Rau as a “respectable leader who had dominated the political firmament of Maharashtra for almost three decades,” Sankaranarayanan said that he had known her even before his appointment as Maharashtra governor.

“She was a dedicated organisation person and had done remarkable work of building the party. She had represented the people of Maharashtra, both in the state legislature and in parliament with distinction.”