New Delhi: Congress Senior leader and  former Union Minister Shri Jaipal Reddy died early this morning at 1.28 am at Asian institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) hospital, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. He was 77. He was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital. Reddy had been unwell for the last few days. He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital where he was in the ICU for the last one week. Reddy's funeral would take place in Hyderabad on Monday, the sources said.


Reddy has been a parliamentarian for several decades since 1984 and held key portfolios in various governments. He was a 4 term MLA, 4 term MP( LS), 2 term RS MP & a former central minister. He 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. He was then shifted to the science and technology and earth sciences ministries.

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.

Telangana Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao has also expressed his deep condolences over the death of former union minister Sri S Jaipal Reddy. The CM has recollected the services rendered by Jaipal Reddy as the union minister and as a good parliamentarian. He has conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family