S. Jaipal Reddy, who died in Hyderabad on Sunday, was elected to the combined Andhra Pradesh Assembly four times and to Parliament seven times – five terms to the Lok Sabha and two terms to the Rajya Sabha.
Born into a farmers’ family at his grandparents’ place in Narmeta of Chandur mandal in Nalgonda district on January 16, 1942, Jaipal Reddy was known as a leader with no enemies in the political arena. His father hailed from Madugula of Mahabubnagar district. Although he took the plunge into politics early in life, he shot to fame when he unsuccessfully contested from the Medak Lok Sabha seat against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1980.
He served as Union Minister in the Cabinets of Prime Ministers I. K. Gujral during 1996-97 and two terms of Manmohan Singh from 2004-14.
Exhibiting leadership qualities as a student, he was elected to various student union posts while pursuing undergraduate course in Nizam College and PG course in Arts College on Osmania University campus. He also pursued a degree in journalism from OU.
Jaipal Reddy was Youth Congress president of AP from 1965 to 1969 and organising secretary in the Pradesh Congress Committee during 1969-72. He was elected to the Assembly from Kalwakurthy constituency in the combined Mahabubnagar district on Congress ticket in 1969 and in 1972 but opposing imposition of Emergency in the country, he quit the party in 1975.
As a strong voice from AP against Emergency, Jaipal Reddy joined Janata Party in 1977 and was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1984 from the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha seat. He also functioned as a general secretary of Janata Party and later joined the Janata Dal after a split in the Janata Party.
He won again from Mahabubnagar in 1998 but returned to the Congress in 1999 to win the Lok Sabha election from Miryalguda. He represented Miryalguda again in 2004 and won from Chevella in 2009 but lost in 2014 from there. He did not contest in 2019.
Leaders pay tributes
Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao and Governor E.S.L.Narasimhan visited the residence of Jaipal Reddy and offered floral tributes. There was a steady stream of visitors, politicians and admirers, who paid tributes.
Last journey
The State Government will conduct the funeral with state honours. The last rites would be performed on Monday afternoon. The mortal remains would first be taken to Gandhi Bhavan for the general public to pay homage and the final procession to the funeral on the Necklace Road would begin there around 11 am.
