Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu turned emotional and broke down as he read out an obituary reference for former union minister S Jaipal Reddy, whom he described an "old friend, a senior and guide".
Reddy (77), who breathed his last on Sunday in Hyderabad, was a two-term Rajya Sabha member and Leader of Opposition in Upper House as well as a five-term Lok Sabha MP.
Reading out an obituary reference for Reddy, he said, the country has "lost a veteran parliamentarian, an outstanding orator and an able administrator".
Recalling his association with Reddy, Naidu said they used to sit on the same bench of Andhra Pradesh Assembly for two terms when they were MLAs.
"For 40 years, four decades, he had been my friend, senior, and also at times, used to guide me also because I am six years younger than him," he said in a choked voice.
He said they used to effectively argue the peoples' cause in their own way and added, "I remember the memories of the days I spent with him all these years".
He recalled that the Andhra Assembly used to meet at 8 AM and both used to meet at 7 AM to discuss issues over breakfast. "The amount of knowledge, the depth of understanding and the mastery over the language, both in English and Telugu, and, of course, at times, Urdu and Hindi also, is really remarkable; and he was here in both the Houses, and also he was spokesperson of his party at that time," he added.
As MPs took their seat after a minute of silence, he wiped his tears and he said, "it is really painful that he has left us. I am sorry I cannot control my emotions because of 40 years of association."