Jaitley passing away personal loss: BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry

New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS) The world might have known him as one of the pillars of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was as much involved with Indian cricket as he was in the rise of his political party. Considered as the go-to-man in Indian cricket, Jaitley wore many hats as he always kept the interest of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in front while dealing with the various situations that the board faced over the years.

BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry said that Jaitley's sudden demise was a personal loss for him - having worked closely with the former BCCI Vice-President over the years.

"Deeply saddened to hear about Jaitley Ji's passing. If there was one thing that was apparent whenever you'd meet him, it was a sense of love with which he mentored those he took under his wing. I have had the opportunity and the good fortune to work with him at various forums at the BCCI and every interaction was a peek into a brilliant mind. He had a phenomenal capacity to read a situation and give invaluable advice and I think that is what made him the go-to person for everybody in the political and cricketing world.

"He had a wonderful sense of humour and the ability to reduce any situation, no matter how complicated, to a single sentence. I learnt from him and grew with every interaction with him and I know he looked out for me. His passing is a personal loss for me and I will always remember him fondly. I offer my condolences to the family," he said.

Jaitley had been admitted to AIIMS on August 9 after he complained of breathlessness. His condition had deteriorated over time and he was put on life support. The former Finance Minister lost his battle with life on Saturday at the age of 66.