Post-Covid infection kills Cong MP (46)

Pune: Congress’s Rajya Sabha member and former national president of Indian Youth Congress Rajeev Satav died at a private hospital here due to post-Covid complications on Sunday. He was 47. Satav was an alumni of Fergusson College.
“After testing positive, he had recovered and tested negative. But he suffered from bacterial infections which damaged his lungs and he succumbed,” state health minister Rajesh Tope said.Satav was admitted to the hospital in April-end and was on ventilator support.
After his recovery, he was diagnosed with a cytomegalovirus infection which made him critical. His case yet again underscores the challenges of post-Covid care and the growing susceptibility to opportunistic infections caused by lowering of immunity levels.
“We have lost a learned and promising leader,” deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said. Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Devendra Fadnavis said, “The death of Congress leader Rajeev Satav is very shocking. May his family get the strength to come out of this grief,” he said.
Satav’s political journey was impressive. He started out as a panchayat samiti member in 2002, became the national president of the Indian Youth Congress in 2010), served as an MLA in 2009-14, and later as a member of both the Lok Sabha (2014-19) and Rajya Sabha (2020).
A close confidant of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Satav was given key responsibilities, including the role of Congress in-charge of Gujarat during the assembly elections in 2017. Satav, whose mother was Rajnitai Satav, defied the ‘Modi wave’ in 2014 to win in Hingoli.
A science graduate who later completed his law studies from Pune, Satav was a soft-spoken politician who connected with the masses. He is survived by his wife and two children.
In his condolence tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Anguished by the passing away of my friend from Parliament, Shri Rajeev Satav Ji. He was an upcoming leader with much potential. Condolences to his family, friends and supporters. Om Shanti.”
In his tweet, Rahul Gandhi, said, “I’m very sad at the loss of my friend Rajeev Satav. He was a leader with huge potential who embodied the ideals of the Congress. It’s a big loss for us all. My condolences and love to his family.”
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said, “Due to his humble nature, Rajeev Satav has developed many friends beyond party and politics. He was known as a scholar who had deep faith in the parliamentary system.”
The last rites will be performed at Kalamnuri in Hingoli on Monday, local Congress functionaries said.