Former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal died in Kanpur on Friday following a cardiac arrest. He was 81. Jaiswal was first taken to a nursing home in Kidwai Nagar in the evening after his condition worsened and then shifted to the Cardiology Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Jaiswal married Maya Rani Jaiswal in 1967 and is survived by two sons, a daughter and two grandchildren. His family was with him during his final hours. Born in 1944 in Kanpur to Ganga Prasad Jaiswal and Chandrakali Devi, Jaiswal remained closely tied to his hometown throughout his life. He held significant portfolios in the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre led by Manmohan Singh. Jaiswal was the minister of state for home affairs from 2004 to 2009 and held the charge of the coal ministry from January 2011 to May 2014. Before entering the Union Cabinet, he served as the president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) from 2000 to 2002. Condoling his death, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Jaiswal was a "true and loyal Congressman who worked diligently for the development and welfare of Kanpur". His departure is a big loss for the Congress, Kharge said in a post on X. Condoling Jaiswal's death, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a post in Hindi on X, said, "The passing of former Union minister and senior politician Sriprakash Jaiswal is deeply saddening. Humble tributes to him! I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed soul a place in his feet and grant the bereaved family the strength to bear this immense loss. Om Shanti!" Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said, "The news of the passing of former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal is deeply saddening. His contribution to the politics of Kanpur and Uttar Pradesh will remain unforgettable. He will always be remembered as our elder brother, a simple and down-to-earth leader. May Baba Vishwanath grant peace to the departed soul and give patience to the family in this difficult time." Senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Pramod Tiwari also condoled Jaiswal's death. Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "The news of the passing of former Union minister and senior politician Sriprakash Jaiswal is extremely saddening. May Lord Shri Ram grant the departed soul a place in his feet and provide strength to the bereaved family during this difficult time. Om Shanti." Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said, "We have received the very sad news of the passing of former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the virtuous soul a place in his feet and provide strength to the bereaved family. Om Shanti!" Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also condoled the passing away of Jaiswal. In a post on X, Yadav said, "Former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has passed away, deeply saddening! May his soul rest in peace. Deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Heartfelt condolences!" Senior Congress leader Har Prakash Agnihotri said Jaiswal shaped Kanpur's political and civic landscapes for more than three decades. A student of the BNSD Inter College, he entered public service early and was elected the mayor of Kanpur in 1989, Agnihotri said. In 1999, he was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from the Kanpur constituency and retained the seat in 2004 and 2009, becoming a three-term MP and one of the most influential Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh, said Pawan Gupta, the party's city president. In 2009, following attacks on Indian students in Australia, Jaiswal travelled to Melbourne to review the situation first hand. His visits to hospitals, temples and public transport systems helped bring international attention to the issue. Even after his defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Jaiswal remained active in Kanpur's political and social life.