Ujjain: Senior BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Minister Paras Chandra Jain passed away on Monday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Indore, the family said. He was 73.
Jain, a six-time MLA from Ujjain North, had been admitted to the hospital after complaining of fluid accumulation in his lungs. He died during treatment.
A veteran BJP leader, Jain served as a minister in successive BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh between 2005 and 2018. During his tenure, he handled several key portfolios, including School Education, Higher Education, Energy, Forest, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection.
Popularly known as “Paras Pahalwan” for his passion for wrestling, Jain represented the Ujjain North Assembly constituency six times — in 1990, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018.
Despite holding several important positions in the government, he remained closely connected with people and was often seen travelling on his scooter through Ujjain to meet residents and spend time with them over tea and snacks.
He is survived by his wife and two children. His last rites will be performed in Ujjain later on Monday.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over Jain’s demise and paid tribute to the veteran leader. “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of senior BJP leader, former minister and former Ujjain North MLA Paras Chandra Jain ji. I offer my humble tributes to him. I pray to Baba Mahakal to grant the departed soul a place at His holy feet and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this immense grief,” CM Yadav said in a post on X.
State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal and several other party leaders and workers also condoled Jain’s death, describing it as a great loss for the party. “The news of the demise of senior BJP leader and former state minister Paras Chandra Jain ji is deeply saddening. His life, dedicated to public service and the ideology of the organisation, will continue to inspire party workers. His contributions will always be remembered,” Khandelwal wrote on X, while extending condolences to the bereaved family.
Jain’s death marks the end of a long political career spanning over three decades, during which he remained one of the BJP’s prominent faces in the Malwa region.
(IANS)
