Pune: Vasantrao Chavan, a veteran Congress leaser, who fought and won from Nanded Lok Sabha seat despite suffering from serious illness, has passed away at the age of 70. The end came at a private hospital in Hyderabad.

 Congress leaders said Mr Chavan who died early this morning was battling kidney ailment for a long time.

MPCC chief Nana Patole said,''Mr Vasantrao Chavan was one of the finest Congress leaders. To hear the news of the demise of a senior leader of party's Nanded was highly shocking. Mr Chavan remained loyal to the Congress till the end. The entire Congress party is with the Chavan family in this grief.''

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said,''Vasantrao Chavan was a true Congressman. Though we were in different political parties, we shared cordial relations.''

In his condolence messagez Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said,''Though Mr Chavan was not well during the Lok Sabha elections, he put up a strong fight and defeated sitting MP by comfortable margin of votes. He fought against the dictatorial regime of BJP and won the Nanded seat hands down."

In Nanded he fought against sitting BJP MP Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar. The BJP had roped in Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan in a bid to strengthen the party in the district. While Chavan secured 5,28,495 votes Patil had to remain content with 4,69,452 votes.

Chavan who started his political career as a gram panchayat member, was elected to Maharashtra Legislative Council in 2002. He later was elected an independent MLA from Naigaon assembly constituency in 2009. He has served as the chairman of the Nanded District Central Cooperative Bank as well.