Veteran Congress leader Oscar Fernandes dies at 80

·         Senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes has passed away in Mangalore. He was hospitalized for a few weeks.

·         Fernandes, who began his political career as a municipal councilor in Udupi in 1975-76, was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Udupi in 1980.

·         He has represented Udupi five times in a row (winning elections in 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1996).

·         Fernandes served as Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1984–85 and was considered a trusted aide of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Important facts

About Indian Congress

v  Founded: 28 December 1885

v  Founders: Dadabhai Naoroji, Alan Octavian Hume, Dinshaw Edulji Vacha