Satya Pal Malik condoles untimely demise of Ananth Kumar

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Monday expressed grief over the demise of Union Minister Ananth Kumar.

Describing Kumar as a "diligent leader" who devoted his life to public service, Malik said it would be difficult to fill the void left by Kumar in the country's politics.

The governor prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in its hour of grief, an official release said.

Kumar (59), parliamentary affairs and chemicals and fertilizers minister, died at a private hospital in Bengaluru in the early hours of Monday after battling lung cancer for several months.