Former Congress RS member dies in Lucknow

Lucknow, Jul 19: Former Rajya Sabha member and ex- Uttar Pradesh minister Khan Gufran Zaidi died here last night after a prolonged illness. He was 80.

According to family sources, Zaidi, a journalist-turned politician, was elected thrice to the state assembly from Fatehpur seat while he was the Congress Rajya Sabha member in 1998. He was also the Congress in-charge of Karnataka one year back, when he was relieved from all responsibilities of the party due to his illness.

He was UP minister in the Narain Dutt Tiwari government in 1984.

He is survived by his widow.

Zaidi, a renowned journalist, joined politics in 1978 after resigning as the news editor of Urdu daily Siyasat Zaidid published from Kanpur. He worked in the newspaper in different capacity for 15 years.

The last rites would be held at Fatehpur this evening.

UNI