Pune: Former state minister and NCP (SP) senior member Madan Bafna died of a heart attack in Pune on Monday. He was 87.Bafna was admitted to a private hospital in Pune after he complained of uneasiness. While undergoing treatment, he suffered a heart attack and passed away on Monday morning. The former minister is survived by his wife, son and four daughters.Bafna was considered as one of the close associates of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. After completing LLB in 1967, he started his practice and later he got involved in politics. Starting his political career from Zilla Parishad, he got elected as Pune ZP member in 1977. Bafna got into state politics on Congress ticket where he represented the Maval assembly seat in 1985 and 1990. In 1989, he was inducted into the state cabinet where he was the minister of state for revenue and urban development. After winning the 1990 assembly seat, he again became the minister of state and handled finance as well as law and judiciary portfolios.In 1999, when Sharad Pawar formed NCP, Bafna also quit Congress to join Pawar and he remained associated with him till the end. Politicians, including Sharad Pawar, deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, Baramati MP Supriya Sule, former state home minister Anil Deshmukh and others offered condolences on Bafna’s death.
