New Delhi, Sept 25 : Jana Krishnamurthy, the former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), passed away of renal failure today at a hospital in Chennai. He was 79.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has condoled the death of Krishnamurthy.

In his condolence message, Vajpayee said that he was deeply saddened by Krishnamurthy’s demise.

Describing him as a dedicated, cultural and skilful administrator, Vajpayee said: “He was one the pioneers to lay the foundation in south India of the Jan Sangh and the present BJP and expanded it.”

Krishnamurthy, a former Union Law Minister, was a member of the Jan Sangh and joined the BJP after the split of the Janata Party in 1979.

Krishnamurthy is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.

Krishnamurthy was undergoing treatment for about two months and had been unconscious for the past 20 days following a brain haemorrhage.

He was BJP President from 2001 to 2002 and was a minister in the Vajpayee Cabinet in 2003.

Born in Madurai in 1928, Krishnamurthy entered politics after an active stint in the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

He was the first person from Tamil Nadu to become BJP President.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat and was its member at the time of his death.

His last rites will be performed on Wednesday. (With inputs from ANI)