Jharkhand minister Jagarnath Mahto, who had earlier undergone a lung transplant, died at a hospital in Chennai on Thursday, a senior doctor of the health facility, where he was admitted, said.

He was 57.

Mahto, the minister for school education and literacy, was airlifted to Chennai last month due to health complications following the transplant in November 2020, which he underwent after suffering from COVID-19.

"Mahto breathed his last today," Dr Apar Jindal of MGM Healthcare told PTI.

He is survived by a son and four daughters.

Mahto, the four-time JMM MLA from Dumri in Giridih district, was taken to Chennai in October 2020, where he had undergone the transplant as his lungs were damaged due to the COVID-19 infection, a health department official said here.

The minister had returned to Ranchi after eight months in June 2021, he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the demise of Mahto.

"Irreparable loss. Today Jharkhand has lost one of its popular and hardworking leaders who participated in agitations...Respected Jagarnath Mahto Ji passed away during treatment in Chennai. May God give peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family," Soren wrote on Twitter.

The Jharkhand government declared mourning for two days from April 6 in honour of Mahto, during which no official ceremony would be held.

According to a state government notification, the cabinet meeting scheduled this evening was cancelled.

Taking to Twitter, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi said, "The departure of Jagarnath Ji, who fought like a warrior while defeating the disease for a long time, is very sad. Personally, I had always admired his vitality despite political differences." Mahto was admitted to a Ranchi hospital where he was on ventilator support after he tested positive for COVID-19 in September 2020.

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