<span style="color: #222222;">Former Union Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma passed away in Lucknow on Friday. He was 79. Verma was born on February 11, 1941 in Sirauli in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh.<br />'' <br />'' He was a founding member of the Samajwadi Party. In 1996, Verma became the Independent Minister of State for Communications. He was also given the charge of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs. Verma was a Lok Sabha member from 1996 to 2014.<br />'' <br />''<br />''Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences over the death of former union minister Beni Prasad and said his thoughts were with the family and supporters of the deceased leader. </span><br />