Date:12/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/12/stories/2008101250720300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Glowing tributes paid to Gudivada

Staff Reporter

Photos: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Deserving honour: The statue of Gudivada Gurunadha Rao (right) being unveiled by his mother Yellayamma in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Also seen are MLA D. Srinivas, TDPP leader K. Yerran Naidu and widow of Gurunadha Rao Nagamani. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: The statue of Gudivada Gurunadha Rao was unveiled near LIC building in the city on Saturday in a grand way on the occasion of his 54th birth anniversary.

Leaders from all political parties attended the meeting and paid glowing tributes to the late leader. The statue was unveiled at a well-attended meeting by his mother Yellayamma in the presence of Nagamani, wife of Gurunadha Rao, and their son Amarnath, Telugu Desam corporator.

Speaking on the occasion, TD Parliamentary Party leader K. Yerran Naidu said Gurunadha Rao, who was from a political family, began his public life as a Congress corporator and could become a parliamentarian from Anakapalle and a Minister with important portfolio like technical education.

He said the presence of leaders from all the parties at the meeting itself showed his popularity and his ability to maintain good rapport with all sections.

Minister for Housing B. Satyanarayana said in a short span of time, he became a popular leader of North Andhra and recalled his association with Gurunadha Rao. He said as Minister, he tried for overall development of the region and championed the cause of the downtrodden and marginalised sections all through his life.

Ms. Nagamani, a TD leader, said her husband had dedicated his life for public service and narrated how he had always taken up various issues for development of his constituency.

Congress MLAs P. Sambasiva Raju, Dronamraju Srinivas, U.V. Ramana Murthy, Gandi Babji, K. Dharmasri, S. Rangaraju, Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy, DCCB president Balireddy Satya Rao, TD MLA Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, MP P. Chalapathi Rao, rural district president Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, BJP leaders D.V. Subba Rao, J. Pruthviraj, CPI (M) district secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao and CPI corporator A.J. Stalin attended.