'Unimaginable loss for Indian Politics': Condolences pour in for former finance minister Arun Jaitley

Condolences pour in for former finance minister Arun Jaitley as he breathed his last in Delhi's AIIMS on Saturday.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh reacted to the demise of Jaitley saying, "He was an asset to the government and the party organisation".

"Arun Jaitley ji served the nation in several  capacities and he was an asset to the government and the party organisation. He always had a deep and clear understanding of the issues of the day. His knowledge and articulation won him several friends,"  he tweeted.

Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his pain over the death of the former leader.  

President Ram Nath Kovind said, "Extremely saddened by the passing of Shri Arun Jaitley after battling a long illness with fortitude and dignity."

"Deeply pained by the demise of Arun Jaitley 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, " he said.

"Extremely sad to hear about passing away of our dear friend,legal brain,sharp mind,astute strategist,seasoned politician,exemplary Parliamentian,exceptional communicator,Sr leader,colleague of years Arun Jaitley will always feel void,could never forget him&contribution Om Shanti, " Suresh Prabhu said.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted saying, "Untimely demise of former FM and senior leader Sh Arun Jaitley ji is a huge loss to the nation. A legal luminary and an experienced political leader known for his governance skills will be missed by the country. Thoughts and prayers with his family in this moment of grief. RIP"

"A stalwart who paid tribute to his simple beginnings by helping those with meagre means . Orator par excellence, legal luminary @arunjaitleyji served the Nation and sangathan with dedication and zeal. My tributes to him. Condolences to loved ones. Om Shanti, " Smriti Irani tweeted.

Recalling his days at Delhi University, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of my friend and DelhiUniv senior @arunjaitley. We first met when he was at DUSU& I was President of StStephen’sCollegeUnion. Despite political differences we enjoyed a healthy mutual respect and debated his Budget often in LS. A great loss4India."

"Unimaginable loss for Indian Politics! Arun Jaitley a man who donned many Hats ..a man who mesmerised all around Him ..a man who mentored many ...a man for whom you felt knew almost about everything under the Sun ..is no more with us. His life was an inspiration indeed," Sambit Patra said.

Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his deep pain over the death and tweeted, " Shocked and deeply pained to know about our great leader Arun Jaitley ji. It is more painful as we lost another great leader after Sushma Swaraj ji in just a few days."

Mamata Banerjee said, "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".

Jaitley was admitted to the AIIMS on August 9. He was undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the country's premier medical institution.

He was not keeping well for some time. He did not even contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election citing health reasons. In February, Piyush Goyal had to present the interim budget as Jaitley was in US for treatment.