Late former PM Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla dies of Covid

Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Congress leader Karuna Shukla (70), the niece of late former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away late night on Monday due to Covid. She was being treated at the Ramakrishna Hospital in Raipur. Her last rites will be performed on Tuesday at Baloda Bazar, Bhatapara district in Chhattisgarh.

CM Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister TS Singh Deo have deeply mourned the death of Karuna Shukla.

"My compassionate aunt (Karuna Shukla) is no more. The ruthless Corona took her as well. She has had a very intimate family relationship outside of politics and I continue to get her blessings. May God give her space in their shrines and we all have the power to bear the loss," CM Bhupesh Baghel tweeted.

Karuna Shukla has been serving as the Chairman of the Social Welfare Board and prior to this, she was a Lok Sabha MP. She held all major posts including that of BJP's National Vice President. However, infuriated by BJP's neglect, Karuna joined the Congress prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. During the time Congress gave her a ticket from Bilaspur, but she lost.

In the 2018 assembly election, Karuna Shukla was fielded by the Congress from Rajnandgaon against former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh.

Karuna Shukla was born on 1 August 1950 in Gwalior. She entered politics having completed her studies at the Bhopal University and earned the title of 'Best Legislator' in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Karuna Shukla was first elected BJP MLA in 1993.

Karuna won the Janjgir seat for the BJP in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections but lost to Charan Das Mahant of the Congress in the 2009 elections. In that election, Karuna was the only BJP candidate in Chhattisgarh who lost the election. While in the BJP, Karuna had held many important positions, including the post of National President of BJP Mahila Morcha. After having worked 32 years in the BJP, she joined Congress.

15,084 new corona positive cases in Chhattisgarh on Monday, 215 dead