Mumbai, March 29 (IANS): Veteran Peasants & Workers Party (PWP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Meenakshi Patil passed away at her native Alibaug in Raigad district, party leaders said here on Friday. She was 77.

Patil breathed her last after battling a prolonged illness. She is survived by her son Aswad Patil, daughter-in-law and other relatives, including her two brothers and PWP leaders Jayant Patil and Subhash Patil, a former legislator.

The niece of the former PWP supremo Dattatray N. Patil, Meenakshi Patil was elected from the coastal Alibaug Assembly constituency in 1995, 1999 and 2009.

In 1999, Patil was appointed a minister of state for ports and fisheries in the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government headed by the late Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Senior state leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit A. Pawar, state Congress President Nana Patole, NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar and others condoled the passing of Patil and paid rich tributes to her life which was dedicated to the welfare of the marginalised, poor and deprived sections of society.

Patil's last rites were performed at her village here this afternoon and a large number of her party workers and admirers bid a tearful farewell to their senior leader, said an associate.