Jaipal Reddy, the former Union Minister and senior Congress leader dies

Hyderabad : Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jaipal Reddy died at a hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday morning. He was 77. He recently got diagnosed with pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital, where he died at 1.28 am.

Jaipal Reddy has been a parliamentarian since 1984. During his political career, Mr Reddy served as a Lok Sabha MP five times and was elected to the Rajya Sabha twice.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled Mr Reddy’s death on Twitter addressing the former union minister an articulate speaker and an effective administrator.

President Ram Nath Kovind called Jaipal Reddy “a thinking person’s politician” in his condolence message. “Sorry to hear of the passing of Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, former Union Minister. He was a thinking person’s politician and an outstanding parliamentarian. My condolences to his family and many associates,” he tweeted from his official handle.

TRS working president KT Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, also condoled the death. “My condolences to the family and friends of senior leader and former union minister Shri Jaipal Reddy Garu who passed away earlier today. RIP Sir (sic),” he tweeted.

aipal Reddy was the information and broadcasting minister in the government led by former prime minister IK Gujral. During the UPA-1 government, he held portfolios like urban development and culture.

He was again assigned the urban development ministry. Later, he became the minister of petroleum and natural gas, but was shifted to the science and technology and earth sciences ministries.

Mr Reddy’s funeral will take place in Hyderabad on Monday.