Always held people's interests close to his heart: Sonia mourns Jaipal Reddy's demise

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday expressed grief over the demise of senior party leader S Jaipal Reddy who passed away in Hyderabad at the age of 77.

"I am deeply saddened at the passing away of S. Jaipal Reddy. A senior, erudite and humane leader, he was a valued colleague who enriched the Parliament and the Government," she said in a statement.

"Respected across political parties and adored by the media for his accessibility and forthright responses, he always held the interests of people close to his heart," Sonia added.

She further said that her thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family and supporters.

Reddy, breathed his last at 1:30 am in the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad.

Born in 1942, Reddy's journey into the political discourse started when he was elected as the president of the Andhra Pradesh Youth Congress.

He went on to become a Congress legislator for four consecutive terms in the 1970s and held key portfolios in various governments, thereafter.

In 1979, he joined Janata Dal and returned to the Congress party after 20 years in 1999 and held ministerial berths.

He was also conferred with the best parliamentarian award in 1998.

Reddy got elected to Lok Sabha for five terms in 1984, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009.

He served as a Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting in the IK Gujral cabinet in 1998.

In 2004, Reddy was re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha from Miryalguda Constituency and served as the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Union Minister for Urban Development.

In 2009, he was re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Chevella constituency and served as a Union Minister for Urban Development and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

He was given the portfolio of Union Minister for the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of Science and Technology from 2012 to 2014.

Reddy is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.