Senior Congress leader and MP Rajeev Satav on Sunday in Pune this morning, days after recovering from coronavirus infection.
"It's a big loss for us all," Rahul Gandhi tweeted, addressing Mr Satav as "my friend" who embodied the ideals of the Congress.
"I'm very sad at the loss of my friend Rajeev Satav," Gandhi, who was close to Mr Satav, tweeted.
"Rajeev Satav became RT-PCR swab negative on May 9, 2021. However, after a prolonged illness he succumbed to secondary pneumonia with multi-organ dysfunction on May 16 at 4:58 am," Jehangir hospital, where the Congress leader was admitted, said in a statement.
The 46-year-old Congress leader was in critical condition after he was diagnosed with a new viral infection.
"Rajiv Satav was on the path of recovery, but his health deteriorated again and he is now critical. The doctors found he has Cytomegalovirus infection," Mr Tope was quoted as saying by news agency PTI on Saturday.
Satav, who hailed from Maharashtra, was in-charge of the party's affairs in Gujarat.
All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal said the Congress has lost its frontline warrior.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said he has been rendered speechless due to the loss. "Today I lost a fellow who took the first step of public life with me in the Youth Congress and walked along till today…We will always remember Rajeev Satav's simplicity, ever smiling, connected to the grassroots, loyalty and friendship. Good bye my friend. Keep shining, wherever you are," he tweeted.