LUCKNOW/MUZAFFARNAGAR: Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Chitranjan Swarup passed away after a prolonged illness at a Delhi hospital this morning.
Sixty-nine-year-old Swarup, a three-time MLA from Muzaffarnagar, is survived by wife and three sons.
He was first elected MLA in 1974 on a Congress ticket and subsequently in 2002 and 2012 on a BSP ticket.
In the current government Swarup was holding portfolios including Muslim Waqf, Urban Development, Water Supply, Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, Overall Urban Development and Minority Welfare and Haj.
Earlier in the day, both Houses in the state Assembly paid tributes to Swarup observing a two-minute silence and were later adjourned for the day.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Azam Khan recalled his long association with Swarup.
"He had been my associate in the last government as well as this one. He had been a personal friend who made contribution in setting up of Jauhar University (in Rampur) also," Khan said.
Leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya, leader of BJP legislature party Suresh Khanna, Congress legislature party leader Pradip Mathur were among others who recalled Swarup's services, especially in the field of education.
Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey also recalled his personal association with Swarup.
In the Council, leaders across parties and chairman Ganesh Shankar Pandey expressed grief at the demise of the minister.
Family sources said Swarup's body is being brought from Delhi to Muzaffarnagar, where the cremation ceremony will take place tomorrow.
Meanwhile, several educational institutions and business establishments in Muzaffarnagar remained closed over the death of the minister.