Comedian Raju Srivastava died in Delhi on Wednesday, more than a month after he was hospitalised after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 58.
Srivastava was hospitalized on August 10 after he collapsed while working out in a gym, television news channels reported. He had to undergo an angioplasty the same day.
He was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and underwent angioplasty. Since then, he was on the ventilator and never gained consciousness.
"I got a call from the family about half-an-hour ago saying he is no more. It is really unfortunate news. He was fighting in the hospital for over 40 days," Dipoo Srivastava told PTI.
Raju Srivastava was declared dead at 10.20 am, according to hospital sources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the popular comedian, saying he "brightened our lives with laughter, humour and positivity".
Srivastava, who made a mark as a stand-up comic and later entered politics, died after more than 40 days in hospital. He had joined the BJP in 2014.
The prime minister tweeted, "Raju Srivastava brightened our lives with laughter, humour and positivity. He leaves us too soon but he will continue to live in the hearts of countless people thanks to his rich work over the years. His demise is saddening. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."
In a tweet in Hindi, defence Minister Rajnath Singh described him as an adept performer and a person who had a lively and cheerful personality.
The minister tweeted: "I am deeply saddened by the death of popular comedian-actor Raju Shrivastava. Besides being an adept performer, he also had a very lively and cheerful personality. He was also very active in the field of social activities. I express my condolences to his bereaved family and his admirers."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also condoled the death of the popular comedian.
"The death of famous comedian Raju Srivastava is very sad. May God give place to the departed soul at his feet. My sympathies are with his kin and admirers in this hour of grief," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he had worked with the popular comedian and learnt a lot from him.
In a tweet in Hindi, Mann said, "#Raju Srivastav ji made us laugh a lot in his life but today it is very sad to hear this news worked a lot with him and also learnt a lot.
"Raju ji may not be with us physically but his performance will always remain alive in our hearts. We'll miss you Gajodhar Bhaiya'," he said.
Before he entered politics, Mann too was a well-known comedian and satirist.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also paid his tributes to the popular comedian.
The one who made everyone laugh, today left everyone's eyes moist, said Khattar in a tweet.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda too condoled with Srivastava's fans and families, calling the comedian's death sad.
Srivastava, who joined the BJP in 2014 after a stint with the Samajwadi Party, had suffered a heart attack on August 10 while working out at a Delhi hotel.
A familiar face in the entertainment industry since the 1980s, the comedian tasted unparalleled success after participating in the first season of the reality stand-up comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (2005).
Raju Srivastava had also featured in Hindi films such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Baazigar, the remake of Bombay to Goa and Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya.
He was the chairperson of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.
