D P Tripathi's demise: Leaders remember him as guide, mentor, friend, fellow traveller

Condolence messages poured in for NCP leader D P Tripathi, who passed away on Thursday in Delhi after a prolonged illness, as leaders across party lines remembered him as a guide, mentor and friend. Tripathi, the 67-year-old general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party and former students' union leader, was battling cancer.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said Tripathi had always been a guide and counsel to party leaders. "Deeply Saddened to hear about the demise of Shri.D.P Tripathi Ji. He was the General Secretary of NCP and a guide and mentor to all of us. We will miss his wise counsel and guidance which he had given us from the day NCP was established.

"May he rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers with his family members. Heartfelt Condolences," she tweeted. Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recalled how he would discuss world affairs with the senior NCP leader.

"Deeply grieved to learn of the passing away of DP Tripathi. Since 1973, when we joined JNU, have discussed and debated the world with him. Always open-minded and pragmatic. Will miss him very much," he tweeted. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said he was saddened to hear about Tripathi's demise and described him as an orator par excellence and a man of erudite intellect.

"I am saddened to hear of the demise of Dr D P Tripathi ji, former MP and General Secretary of NCP. He was an orator par excellence and a man of erudite intellect. My deepest condolences are with his family and supporters in this time of grief. May his soul Rest in Peace," he tweeted. Senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi described him as a younger brother and said his absence will be felt in Indian politics for long.

"He was like my younger brother. He himself maintained this relationship over the last four decades. He was brilliant, well read and political to the core. His absence will be felt in political circles for quite a long time," Dwivedi said. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury recalled Tripathi as a "fellow traveller".

"Comrade, Fellow-student, Fellow-traveller and much more. From University and right until his last days we spoke, argued, disagreed, and learnt so much together. You will be missed, my friend. Deepest condolences," he said in a tweet. Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary recalled 'DPT', as Tripathi is fondly known, as an orator and fighter.

"DPT emerged out of student politics and made a mark with his sharp oratory and intellect. Known as a fighter who made his way through illness and adversity, Tripathi-ji was always good counsel and a man who kept promises and maintained relationships," he said. Congress leader Manish Tiwari remembered Tripathi as a "friend, philosopher and guide".

"My friend philosopher and guide the irrepressible, irreverent, incisive and intellectual DP Tripathi is no more. RIP Professor you have left us when this nation perhaps needed you most," he tweeted.