Former Union Coal Minister and veteran Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal died after a prolonged illness in Kanpur on Friday evening. He was 81.
Jaiswal was a three-time MP from 1999 to 2009 and served as Union minister of state for home and Union minister of state (independent charge) for steel in the Manmohan Singh-led government.
Jaiswal, who mostly stayed out of controversies and was considered close to workers in Kanpur, first won the Kanpur City mayoral poll in 1989. In 1999, he made his parliamentary debut, defeating three-term BJP MP Jagat Vir Singh Drona. He was re-elected as Kanpur MP in 2004 after he defeated BJP’s Satyadev Pachauri and then again in 2009 after he defeated BJP candidate Satish Mahana.
He lost the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, first to BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi and then to Satyadeb Pachauri. He did not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to health issues.
Before entering the Union Cabinet, he served as the president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) from 2000 to 2002.
Condoling his demise, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was a true Congressman who worked diligently for the development and welfare of Kanpur.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, “The news of the passing of my colleague in the UPA government, former Union minister and senior Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal, is deeply saddening. He was a true and dedicated Congressman who worked diligently for the development and welfare of Kanpur.”
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Uttar Pradesh Congress State President Ajay Rai said, “The news of the demise of former Union Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal is extremely heartbreaking. His contribution to the politics of Kanpur and UP will remain unforgettable.”
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid also condoled Jaiswal’s demise. “Heard the sad news of the passing away of my distinguished colleague, Shriprakash Jaiswalji whilst on a visit to Malta. He changed Kanpur politics in a wonderful manner and left a mark on UPCC politics in difficult times. He will be missed dearly by friends and family,” the former Union minister said.