Summary:
After his unopposed election in June this year, Mr.
Gasti had not attended Parliament due to the pandemic.
He was a first-time Rajya Sabha member.
.
A BJP Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, Ashok Gasti, died on Thursday due to COVID-19.
Hospital where he was undergoing treatment confirmed on Thursday that he died at 10:31 pm, hours after confusion caused by condolence tweets posted by top politicians.
The 55-year-old was critically ill and was admitted to Manipal Hospital.
The hospital said the Rajya Sabha member was admitted with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and was critical after multi-organ failure.
He was on life support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Mr Gasti was from Raichur in north Karnataka and was previously a booth-level worker.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Mr.
Gasti a "dedicated karyakarta" and condoled his death on Twitter.
Rajya Sabha MP Shri Ashok Gasti was a dedicated Karyakarta who worked hard to strengthen the Party in Karnataka.
He was passionate about empowering the poor and marginalised sections of society.
Anguished by his passing away.