Former Union Minister Arun Jaitley passes away at 66

Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley has passed away at All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

The hospital authorities have put out a media release to confirm the news. His age was 66.

According to the release, Jaitley died at 12:07 pm. He was being treated by a multidisciplinary team of senior doctors.

Also Read: Arun Jaitley: A man for all political seasons

Prominent politicians like Home Minister Amit Shah, Smriti Z Irani and Mamata Banerjee have reacted to the news and expressed their condolences.

HM Amit Shah: Deeply pained by the demise of #ArunJaitley ji. It is like a personal loss for me. I have not only lost a senior party leader but also an important family member who will forever be a guiding light for me. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/Bka1NevxLO

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2019

A stalwart who paid tribute to his simple beginnings by helping those with meagre means . Orator par excellence, legal luminary @arunjaitley ji served the Nation and sangathan with dedication and zeal. My tributes to him. Condolences to loved ones. Om Shanti. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) August 24, 2019

Extremely saddened at the passing away of Arun Jaitley Ji, after a battle bravely borne. An outstanding Parliamentarian & a brilliant lawyer, appreciated across parties. His contribution to Indian polity will be remembered. My condolences to his wife, children, friends & admirers

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 24, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tweeted that he has lost a "valued friend".

With the demise of Arun Jaitley Ji, I have lost a valued friend, whom I have had the honour of knowing for decades. His insight on issues and nuanced understanding of matters had very few parallels. He lived well, leaving us all with innumerable happy memories. We will miss him! — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 24, 2019