Bhubaneswar, Mar 17 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

"Deeply saddened by news of the passing away of former Defence Minister of India & Chief Minister, Goa #Manohar Parrikar. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends & followers. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik wrote on Twitter.

A host of other leaders, including Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik, also expressed grief over the death of Parrikar.

"Extremely saddened at the passing away of a dear friend & colleague, Shri Manohar Parrikar. A wonderful human being, his dedication towards his duty & passion for the welfare of his people will always remain an inspiration for all of us," Pradhan tweeted.

"He will be deeply missed. Pray to the Almighty to give strength to his near and dear ones in this hour of grief," he said.

Parrikar died at his private residence near here Sunday. He was 63. The BJP stalwart's health, which has been fluctuating for a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)