Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away while undergoing at Medanta hospital in Gurugram on Monday. He was 82, The Indian Express reported. The SP patriarch’s condition had been “quite critical” for the past few weeks and he was on life-saving drugs. Party chief and Yadav’s son Akhilesh confirmed the news of the leader’s death on Twitter. “Mere adarniya pitaji aur sabke netaji nahi rahe – Akhilesh Yadav,” he tweeted from the party’s official handle.

Soon after learning about the demise of the SP founder, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recollected his relationship with the veteran leader and tweeted: “Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji was a remarkable personality. He was widely admired as a humble and grounded leader who was sensitive to people’s problems.

He served people diligently and devoted his life towards popularising the ideals of Loknayak JP and Dr. Lohia.” Yadav will be cremated in Saifai, his native village in Etawah district, on Tuesday around 3 pm, party has said, according to The Indian Express. “The body of netaji is being taken to Saifai. On Oct 11, he will be cremated at around 3 pm,” Samajwadi Party said. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will go to Saifai, today to attend the last rites.