Ex-Gujarat CM Madhavsinh Solanki cremated

Former Union minister andCongress veteran Madhavsinh Solanki, who had served as chiefminister of Gujarat on four occasions, was on Sunday crematedwith full state honours in Ahmedabad.

Solanki (93), a former external affairs minister, diedon Saturday at his residence in Gandhinagar.

His son Bharatsinh Solanki, a former Union minister,performed the rituals at a crematorium here after Solankisenior's mortal remains, wrapped in the Tricolour, werebrought in a procession from Rajiv Bhavan, the headquarters ofthe state unit of the Congress.

Among the several hundred people who joined theprocession were Congress' Gujarat in charge Rajeev Satav,state unit party president Amit Chavda and Leader of theOpposition in Assembly Paresh Dhanani.

Bharatsinh Solanki, who returned from the US on Sundayto perform the last rites, said his father was a ''friend,philosopher and guide''.

''Wherever I am today is because of my father. He wasmy friend, philosopher and guide, always standing by my sidelike a rock. Gujarat knows him very well. In the six decadesof his public life, he served the people,'' said Bharatsinh, aformer president of the Congress in Gujarat.

He said that the people of Gujarat had witnessed a''golden period'' when his father, as a CM, implemented a slewof measures ranging from the mid-day meal scheme in schools toKanya Kelavni (free education for girls in Gujarat), to takingthe state's GDP to over 32 per cent, making it the highest inthe country.

''My father as a CM also ensured the state attains topposition industrially. He managed to get environmentalclearance for the Narmada Dam project, brought the PlanningCommission to the taluka level and also led the party to arecord 149-seat win in the Assembly elections (in 1985),''Bharatsinh added.