Ram Vilas Paswan speaks during an event. File

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan, who was admitted to a private hospital here for the last several days, passed away on Thursday evening, his family members said. He was 74.

The news of his demise was announced by his son Chirag Paswan, who tweeted: "Father, now you are no more in this world but wherever you are, you will be with me. Miss you papa..."

He also shared an old photo of him and his father along with the tweet.

According to his close family members, Paswan breathed his last on Thursday evening at around 8:20 pm at the Fortis Hospital here where he was admitted for several days.

Paswan was a minister in the Narendra Modi government, the UPA government as well as the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government at the Centre.

His death came just days after his son and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan decided to go solo in the Bihar assembly polls.

Indo-Asian News Service