Senior Congress leader Jaipal Reddy passes away

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy passed away at around 1.30 a.m. on July 28 in Hyderabad. Reddy was admitted to hospital with a high fever a few days back and was undergoing treatment.

Hyderabad (Telangana): ) Senior Congress leader and former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy died at a hospital here in the early hours of Sunday, sources close to him said.
He was 77.

He was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital, where he died at 1.28 am, a Congress leader told media.

Reddy has been a parliamentarian for several decades and held key portfolios in various governments. He was a four-term MLA, member of Lok Sabha for five terms and member of Rajya Sabha for two terms.

The Congress, in a tweet, said it was saddened to hear the passing of Reddy. "We hope his family and friends find strength in their time of grief."

"Deeply saddened and pained by the sudden demise of Jaipal Raddy," Congress' Telangana unit chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said, describing the party veteran as an outstanding orator, great human being an intellectual giant.

• We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Union Minister Jaipal Reddy. A senior Congress leader, he served as an LS MP 5 times, an RS MP 2 times and as an MLA 4 times.
  We hope his family and friends find strength in their time of grief. pic.twitter.com/3BHVc07OYA

  — Congress (@INCIndia) July 28, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Union Minister Jaipal Reddy. A senior Congress leader, he served as an LS MP 5 times, an RS MP 2 times and as an MLA 4 times.
  We hope his family and friends find strength in their time of grief. pic.twitter.com/3BHVc07OYA

  — Congress (@INCIndia) July 28, 2019

  ">

  We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Union Minister Jaipal Reddy. A senior Congress leader, he served as an LS MP 5 times, an RS MP 2 times and as an MLA 4 times.
  We hope his family and friends find strength in their time of grief. pic.twitter.com/3BHVc07OYA

  — Congress (@INCIndia) July 28, 2019

"Huge personal loss to me and the entire Congress party. We will miss him," he added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted as:

• I’m sorry to hear about the sad demise of former Union Minister & veteran Congress leader Shri Jaipal Reddy Garu. An outstanding parliamentarian, great son of Telangana, he dedicated his entire life towards public service. My deepest condolences to his family & friends.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I’m sorry to hear about the sad demise of former Union Minister & veteran Congress leader Shri Jaipal Reddy Garu. An outstanding parliamentarian, great son of Telangana, he dedicated his entire life towards public service. My deepest condolences to his family & friends.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2019

  ">

  I’m sorry to hear about the sad demise of former Union Minister & veteran Congress leader Shri Jaipal Reddy Garu. An outstanding parliamentarian, great son of Telangana, he dedicated his entire life towards public service. My deepest condolences to his family & friends.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2019

TRS working president K T Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, also condoled the death.

"My condolences to the family & friends of senior leader & Former union minister Shri #JaipalReddy Garu who passed away earlier today. RIP Sir (sic)," he tweeted.

• My condolences to the family & friends of senior leader & Former union minister Shri #JaipalReddy Garu who passed away earlier today. RIP Sir 🙏

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) July 28, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  My condolences to the family & friends of senior leader & Former union minister Shri #JaipalReddy Garu who passed away earlier today. RIP Sir 🙏

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) July 28, 2019

  ">

  My condolences to the family & friends of senior leader & Former union minister Shri #JaipalReddy Garu who passed away earlier today. RIP Sir 🙏

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) July 28, 2019

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

In UPA-2, he was again assigned to 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, creating a political storm.

Reddy's funeral would take place here on Monday, the sources said.

Reddy's political career:

• This veteran leader had joined politics as the student leader from Osmania University and later became the Congress MLA in the 1970s
• He was a four-term MLA, five-term Lok Sabha MP and two-term Rajya Sabha MP
• Opposing former Prime minister Indira Gandhi's move on imposing Emergency in the country, Reddy had joined Janata Party, and later Janata Dal when leaders started forming faction groups of their own. He rejoined Congress in 1999 and got elected to Lok Sabha from Miryalguda in 2004
• He was the information and broadcasting minister in IK Gujral government.
• During the UPA-1 government, he held portfolios like urban development and culture
• In UPA-2, he was again assigned the urban development ministry
• He, later, became the minister of petroleum and natural gas
• He was then shifted to the science and technology and earth sciences ministries.
• Reddy won the best parliamentarian award in 1998