Chief Ministers of Kerala, Jharkhand, Puducherry pay tribute to Arun Jaitley

Chief Ministers of Kerala, Jharkhand and Puducherry paid tributes to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley after the veteran leader passed away on Saturday in New Delhi.

"Arun Jaitley was a leader who had shown efficiency in different fields and made mark for himself as an administrator. Deep knowledge in law enabled him to shine in Parliament. He had extraordinary power in analyzing political and economic matters," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a message.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayansamy described the veteran BJP leader as a fine gentleman and hailed his contributions as a leader of the Opposition, a senior BJP leader and Union Finance Minister.

"He was a very fine gentleman. As the leader of the Opposition, he performed his functions effectively. As a BJP leader, he was in charge of several states and he had a rich political experience. Mr Jaitley was one of the finest finance ministers I have seen, his administrative capabilities were unparalleled," Narayansamy said.

"I condole his death and convey my heartfelt grievances to the aggrieved family. May his soul rest in peace," he added.

Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das termed the former Union Minister's demise an "irreparable loss to Indian politics".

"Along with my personal loss, it is an irreparable loss to Indian politics. He served the nation with a selfless spirit. He was a great orator and a pillar in policy-making for India and the BJP. I would like to pay my tribute to him and pray that his family has the strength to cope with this loss. I will leave for Delhi today to attend his last rites," Das said.

Jaitley was admitted to the AIIMS earlier this month after he complained of restlessness. He was placed under observation at the hospital's Cardio Neuro Centre.

The veteran leader breathed his last on Saturday afternoon. He was 66.