Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shriprakash Jaiswal passed away at a private hospital in Kanpur on Friday evening after prolonged illness, leaving a void in Uttar Pradesh politics. The 81-year-old leader’s condition deteriorated suddenly at his Civil Lines residence, prompting family members to rush him first to a nearby facility and then to Regency Hospital’s cardiology unit, where he was declared dead at approximately 6:45 pm.
Born on 25 September 1944 in Kanpur, Jaiswal spent his entire political journey rooted in the industrial city he deeply loved. Beginning as Mayor in 1989, he went on to represent Kanpur in the Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms — 1999, 2004 and 2009 — becoming one of the most recognisable OBC faces of the Congress in the state. During the UPA-2 government, he handled the sensitive Coal Ministry portfolio and also served briefly as Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Known for his soft-spoken demeanour and accessibility, Jaiswal earned respect across party lines and was often described as a “gentleman politician”. Even after electoral setbacks in 2014 and 2019, he continued active organisational work and social service, maintaining strong grassroots connect in Kanpur’s labour and trading communities until his health began declining.
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He is survived by his wife Maya Rani, whom he married in 1967, two sons, one daughter and two grandsons. Despite speculation earlier this year that he might follow his younger brother Pramod Jaiswal into the BJP, Shriprakash Jaiswal remained steadfastly loyal to the Congress, reaffirming his commitment to the party’s ideology till the very end.
Leaders cutting across political divides expressed profound grief. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai called him a dedicated worker who always placed Kanpur’s development above everything, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and local BJP leaders also extended condolences. His mortal remains will be kept at the Congress office in Colonelganj on Saturday morning for public homage before the final rites in the afternoon.
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