Kanpur, Nov 28 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shriprakash Jaiswal breathed his last in Kanpur on Friday evening after a prolonged illness. He was 81.

The veteran leader’s condition suddenly deteriorated at his residence in the city’s Civil Lines area. Family members rushed him to a nearby private hospital, but as his health continued to worsen, he was shifted to Regency Hospital’s cardiology unit, where doctors declared him dead at around 6:45 pm.

Born on 25 September 1944 in Kanpur, Shriprakash Jaiswal remained deeply attached to his hometown throughout his four-decade-long political career.

He began public life as the Mayor of Kanpur in 1989 before entering national politics. He was elected Lok Sabha MP from Kanpur constituency three consecutive times — 1999, 2004 and 2009 — on a Congress ticket.

During the UPA-2 government led by Dr Manmohan Singh, Jaiswal held the crucial Coal portfolio and also briefly served as Minister of State for Home Affairs, handling important responsibilities related to internal security and law and order.

A commerce graduate from BNSD Inter College, Kanpur, Jaiswal married Maya Rani on 28 April 1967. He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter and two grandsons.

Known for his mild manners and accessibility, Jaiswal was considered one of the most prominent OBC faces of Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

Even after losing the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he remained active in party affairs and social work. His death comes as a major blow to the Congress in the industrial heartland of Uttar Pradesh, particularly Kanpur, where he enjoyed considerable goodwill cutting across party lines. Political leaders from across the spectrum expressed grief.

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai described Jaiswal as “a gentleman politician and dedicated worker who always kept Kanpur’s development foremost”.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and local BJP leaders also conveyed condolences. Earlier this year, speculation had arisen about Jaiswal possibly switching to the BJP after his younger brother Pramod Jaiswal joined the saffron party.

However, Shriprakash Jaiswal stayed loyal to Congress till the end. His mortal remains will be kept at the Congress office in Colonelganj on Saturday morning for party workers and the public to pay homage, before the last rites in the afternoon.

–IANS

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