New Delhi, August 24: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the demise of BJP veteran Arun Jaitley, remembering him as an excellent orator and a parliamentarian above par. Singh wrote a letter to Sangeeta Jaitley, wife of the late former Finance Minister, expressing his sorrow over the untimely demise of Jaitley.

"I have learned with profound sorrow about the sad and shocking news of the untimely demise of our beloved Shri Arun Jaitley. Shri Jaitley was an eminent lawyer, an excellent orator, a very good administrator and an outstanding parliamentarian. In his death our country has lost a great leader who always worked for the betterment of society," Singh said in his letter to Sangeeta Jaitley. Arun Jaitley to be Cremated on Sunday at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi at 2 PM

"I take this opportunity to convey to you and other members of your family my heartfelt condolences on this bereavement. We pray to the Almighty to give all of you the strength to bear this great loss with courage and fortitude," the ex-PM added.

Read Manmohan Singh's Letter Below: 

Watch: Jaitley No More, Passes Away After Prolonged Illness

Jaitley, 66, passed away on Saturday at 12:30 pm today. He breathed his last in the intensive care unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was rushed to on August 9 after suffering from "breathlessness and anxiety".

The senior BJP leader has been battling health-related ailments since 2018, when he took a sabbatical leave from the Narendra Modi government. After the BJP returned to power, Jaitley sought his exclusion from the Cabinet on health grounds.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2019 03:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).