The incident occurred around 7:30 AM at the Triveni Sangam, a confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati River.
“Kothe had gone to the triveni sangam to attend shahi snan (on Makar Sankranti). He suffered a heart attack in the river water. He was rushed to a medical facility but he was declared as brought dead,” he said.
Kothe’s body will be brought to Solapur for the last rites on Wednesday.
Kothe had unsuccessfully contested the November 20 assembly elections from Solapur (North) against BJP’s Vijay Deshmukh.
He is survived by his wife and a son. Prayagraj is experiencing intense cold weather. Seers belonging to various ‘akharas’ took the first ‘Amrit Snan’ at the Maha Kumbh on the occasion of ‘Makar Sankranti’, with 1.38 crore devotees taking a dip at the Triveni Sangam till 8.30 am.
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar condoled Kothe’s death.
“The youngest former mayor of Solapur and my old colleague, Mahesh Kothe, passed away tragically in Prayagraj. Mahesh Kothe held a significant influence on the social and political landscape of Solapur city. In his demise, Solapur has lost a dynamic and dedicated worker. We all stand in solidarity with the Kothe family in grief. Heartfelt condolences!” Pawar tweeted.
