- By Yashashvi Tak
- Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Shriprakash Jaiswal, former Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and senior Congress leader, passed away on Friday night in Kanpur after a prolonged illness. Hospital authorities said his condition worsened earlier in the day, prompting his admission to the Kanpur Cardiology Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Rakesh Verma, Director of Cardiology, confirmed that “Mr Shri Prakash Jaiswal was dead when he was brought to the hospital.”
Who Was Shriprakash Jaiswal?
A close associate of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Jaiswal’s health deteriorated significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic, and he gradually began losing recognition abilities. Born on 25 September 1944 in Kanpur, he had a distinguished political career, serving three consecutive terms as Lok Sabha MP from the Kanpur constituency from 1999 to 2009.
He held key roles including Minister of State for Home Affairs and later Union Coal Minister in 2011. Known for defeating prominent BJP leaders such as Satish Mahana and Satyadev Pachauri, he eventually lost to Dr Murli Manohar Joshi in 2014 and was unable to reclaim the seat in 2019.
Shriprakash Jaiswal Political Career
Shriprakash Jaiswal began his political journey with the Congress in 1977 and soon rose through the ranks, serving as General Secretary and later Chairman of the Backward Classes Association in the UP Congress. He became Mayor of the Kanpur Municipal Corporation in 1989 and later headed the Kanpur City Congress Committee from 1991 to 1992. Although he faced setbacks, including losing the Cantonment Assembly election in 1993 and the Kanpur Lok Sabha contest in 1998, he continued to strengthen his position within the party.
His major breakthrough came in 1999 when he won the Kanpur Lok Sabha seat, a victory he repeated in 2004 and again in 2009. During this period, he also served as President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee from 2000 to 2002 and held key roles in the Union government, including Minister of State for Home Affairs (2004-09) and Union Coal Minister (2011-14). His electoral winning streak ended in 2014 when he lost to Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi.
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Condoling his death, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Jaiswal was a “dedicated and loyal Congressman who tirelessly worked for Kanpur’s development and welfare.” He added in a post on X that Jaiswal’s passing is a significant loss for the Congress party.