AMARAVATI: Former Rajya Sabha member and veteran Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Yadlapati Venkata Rao passed away in Hyderabad on Monday. He was 102. He had been ailing for the past few weeks due to ageing-related issues.
Venkatrao, born in 1919, had celebrated his centenary birthday in Tenali two years ago. Interestingly, Venkatrao stayed with full health a few months before his death and he had never faced any lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the death of Venkatrao. He was a three-time legislator and also served as state cabinet minister. He was agriculture minister when Channa Reddy was chief minister. He first got elected as legislator from Vemuru assembly constituency in Guntur district in 1967 and 1972 elections as nominee of Swatantra party founded by freedom fighter NG Ranga.
Subsequently, he joined Congress party and won the 1978 election as congress candidate. Venkatrao joined TDP in 1983 and served as the party's highest decision making body politburo.
He had also served as Guntur Zilla Parishad chairman for three years from 1995 before getting elevated as Rajya Sabha member in 1998. He retired from active politics in 2004.
He had also served as TDP district unit president and worked to strengthen the party. Venkatrao kept himself away from the groupism in the party and was known as an honest public representative.
TDP senior leaders K Atchannaidu, Kala Venkata Rao, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, national general secretary Nara Lokesh condoled the death of Venkata Rao. Former minister Alapati Rajendra Prasad visited Venkatrao’s residence in Hyderabad and paid tributes.
