Thane: Former Thane Mayor Ashok Raul passed away at the age of 75 on Sunday night after battling health issues, BJP officials said on Monday.
Fondly called Bhau by his contemporaries, Raul began his political career with the Congress and subsequently joined the NCP before finally settling with the BJP. He was facing health issues for the last few months, said an old-time associate.
BJP city president Sanjay Waghule said Raul was the fifth mayor of Thane and was known for his speeches and knowledge about the city. BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar said Raul was among the few who had accurate knowledge of civic issues faced by various wards and would continue to reach out to him to resolve several issues until recently.