Daijiworld Media Network - Kanpur
Kanpur, Nov 29: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal passed away on Friday following a cardiac arrest. He was 81. His condition worsened in the evening, after which he was rushed to a nursing home in Kidwai Nagar and later shifted to the Cardiology Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. His wife Maya Rani Jaiswal, two sons, daughter and grandchildren were present during his final moments.
A towering political figure with an unbroken bond with Kanpur, Jaiswal was born on September 25, 1944, to Ganga Prasad Jaiswal and Chandrakali Devi. Over three decades, he played a key role in shaping the city’s political and civic landscape.
Jaiswal began his political journey early and served as Mayor of Kanpur in 1989. He went on to win three consecutive Lok Sabha terms from Kanpur—in 1999, 2004 and 2009. From 2000 to 2002, he led the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee as its president.
At the national level, he served as Minister of State for Home Affairs (2004–2009) under the UPA government and later took charge as the Union Coal Minister (2011–2014). Known for his accessibility and grounded style of politics, he was widely respected across party lines.
In 2009, after the series of attacks on Indian students in Australia, Jaiswal travelled to Melbourne to meet victims and assess their safety, drawing international attention to the issue.
Even after losing the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he remained an active presence in Kanpur’s political and social circles.
Leaders across parties condoled his demise. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hailed him as “a true and loyal Congressman dedicated to Kanpur’s development.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, UP Congress chief Ajay Rai, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, and senior Congress leaders including Pramod Tiwari paid rich tributes.
Congress leaders Har Prakash Agnihotri, Pawan Gupta, and spokesperson Anshu Awasthi remembered him as a humble, committed leader who left a lasting imprint on Kanpur’s political fabric.