Panaji: Former Chief minister and current Agriculture minister Ravi Naik passed away at his town, 30 kms away from Panaji at 1 am on Wednesday, family sources stated.
Sources close to his family stated that the 79-year-old leader was shifted to a nearby private hospital in Ponda town where he was declared dead around 1 am.
He is survived by his wife, two children, a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Family sources stated that the final rites on his remains would be conducted at 3 pm on Wednesday near his residence.
His mortal remains were brought to his residence at Khadpabandh in Ponda where thousands of people have gathered to pay tribute to the leader. Naik was seven times MLA (six times from Ponda Assembly constituency and once from Marcaim Assembly constituency) on political parties including Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Congress and the BJP.
He was elected to the State legislative assembly for the first time from Ponda constituency in 1984 on MGP ticket and later successfully contested 1989 election on the same party ticket from Marcaim Assembly constituency.
Naik got elected from Ponda assembly constituency consistently in 1999, 2002, 2007 and 2017 on congress ticket and 2022 on BJP ticket.
He was also shortest serving chief minister of Goa whose tenure lasted for only six days between April 2, 1994 to April 8, 1994. But before that he was chief minister of the coastal state for two years from January 1991 till May 1993 on the coalition government under the banner of Progressive Democratic Front.
Naik was Member of Parliament from North Goa Seat in the year 1998 on Congress ticket.
