Former Union minister Jaipal Reddy dies at 77

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 PTI.

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 and intellectual giant.

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

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.

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 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.