Former Union Minister and Samajwadi MP Beni Prasad Verma passes away

Lucknow: Former Union Minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma (79) passed away in Lucknow Friday evening. He was also a Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party, an outfit he founded with Mualayam Singh Yadav and others in 1992.

The veteran leader had served as the Union Communication Minister from 1996 to 1998 in the cabinet of HD Deve Gowda and was Steel Minister during the second tenure of Manmohan Singh.

"The demise of senior Samajwadi Party leader, Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister respected Beni Prasad Verma Ji, our dear Babu Ji, is an irreparable loss. Condolences to the bereaved family! Tearful tributes," the Samajwadi Party tweeted in Hindi.