Senior Congress leader Jaipal Reddy passes away at 77

New Delhi : Senior Congress leader and former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy passed away on Sunday at a hospital in Hyderabad, said a source close to his family. He was 77 year old.

Recently, Reddy was 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.

Announcing the news, Congress wrote on Twitter: "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," Kumar Reddy added.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KT 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.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi praised Reddy for his work for the public in his condolence tweet. He called Reddy "an outstanding parliamentarian, great son of Telangana" who "dedicated his entire life towards public service."

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "I’m sorry to hear about the sad demise of former Union Minister & veteran Congress leader Shri Jaipal Reddy Garu. My deepest condolences to his family & friends."

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.