Kharagpur's Chacha Gyan Singh Sohanpal passes away at 92

KOLKATA: Gyan Singh Sohanpal a former Congress MLA passed away at the age of 92. He was a former minister of West Bengal government. He held the portfolio of jails in the cabinet of Ajay Mukherjee's and transport, jail and parliamentary affairs in Siddhrtha Shakar Ray's cabinet.
He had entered electoral politics in 1960s and became a minister for the first time in 1969 and later in 1972.
He had been representing Kharagpur assembly seat uninterruptedly for 35 years in between 1982 and 2016.He lost the 2016 polls to Dilip Ghosh of BJP. He was popularly known as Chacha to all in Kharagpur. He was a bachelor and used to stay with his nephew in railway quarters. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee conveyed her condolence. She said that her government will pay tribute to the veteran leader with gun salute.
Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said, "He played a very important role in West Bengal state Assembly as a 10 times elected MLA and acting as a Protem Speaker for several times." Governor Tripathi also conveyed his condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family and his numerous followers.