Senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes dies at 80
Fernandes was hospitalised in July after suffering a fall while doing yoga at his house
Mangaluru: Former Minister and four-time Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes passed away on Monday.
Dakshina Kannada DCC president and MLC Harish Kumar told Deccan Chronicle that Oscar Fernandes passed away on Monday afternoon.
"Oscar was admitted to the hospital after he fell in his house at Mangaluru on July 20 and was unconscious. He was under treatment at a private hospital. He died today afternoon," Harish Kumar said.
Born on March 27, 1941, in Udupi, Oscar Fernandes had represented the Udupi Parliament seat from 1980 to 1998. After his defeat in the 1998 Parliament election, he entered the Rajya Sabha in the same year.
In the UPA government, Oscar had served as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Labour and Employment, Statistics and Program Implementation, NRI Affairs, and also Youth and Sports Affairs.
Oscar who had served as the Parliamentary Secretary of Rajiv Gandhi had served in various capacities in the party. He was also the General Secretary of AICC and one of the close aides of the Gandhi family.