Ilyas Hussein finds it hard to believe that a man he always took for granted is no more. In Sunil Dutt's death, Mumbai's poor as well as rich seem to have a lost a dear friend.

Hussein says the sports minister used to pound the streets of his North West Mumbai constituency to meet people and discuss myriad problems, displaying none of the arrogance often associated with even former film stars.

Hussein, 62, who claims to have known Dutt for nearly two decades, is one of the many in North West Mumbai who feel "bereaved" by the death of the legendary actor who took to politics following his wife's death in 1981.

Dutt, who died here Wednesday of heart attack, won five times from Mumbai North West.

"No one will ever be able to fill the void created by the death of Dutt Saheb," Hussein said.

"I really find it hard to put in words the loss we suffered with his death. He was one among us and has been doing really good work," told Hussein, a garments shop owner in Bandra.

"Politics was not a profession for him. It was a passion to reach out to the people and connect with them. He really tried to make a difference in the lives of the people."

Agrees Congress worker Sanjay Jadhav. "It's difficult to believe that from now on there won't be any meeting in his Bandra office to discuss the problems faced by the people in the city, especially in North West Mumbai.

"He never ignored his voters. People here would have voted for him even if he had contested on a different party symbol."

Residents of North West Mumbai pointed out Dutt's work for cancer patients and efforts to eradicate drug abuse. He had also set up a school for spastic children.

Jadhav said Dutt was easily accessible to the people of North West Mumbai.

"Whenever he had time, Dutt used to meet people in his office adorned with pictures of his late wife (Nargis) and his children. He was fatherly figure to all of us," he said.

Shailesh Gaikwad, a bank executive of Vakola suburb in North West Mumbai, feels it would be difficult to find a successor for the politician who didn't work for any particular community or class of people.

"He stood for the rights of the common people even if they were supporters of a rival political party. He was a thorough gentleman and never compromised on values to get votes or publicity," he said.

"He was a man who rose from the streets to become a popular actor and a leading politician. We will always miss him."