BENGALURU: Former Union railway minister C K Jaffer Sharief passed away Sunday morning at a hospital here, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

Sharief was 85.

He was admitted to a private hospital here a few days ago after he collapsed while getting into his car for Friday namaz.

"One of @INCIndia's senior most leaders, many times MP and one of India's most successful Railway minister, Karnataka's very own son Sri CK Jaffer Shareef has passed away. A national leader who had a great connect across all communities. a truly secular leader. My condolences," Rao said in a tweet.