Condolences poured in from all quarters on Sunday over the demise of 59-year-old Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, a former Andhra Pradesh Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. Manikyala died of COVID-19 on Saturday, he had served as Endowments Minister between 2014 and 2018 in the N Chandrababu Naidu-led government after the bifurcation of the state.
The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh took to Twitter to express his grief, “The news of the death of former minister and BJP leader Manikyalarao came as a shock. He served honestly as the Minister of Revenue during the tenure of the Telugu government. I extend my deepest sympathies to their family members, praying for peace for their souls.”
మాజీ మంత్రి, బీజేపీ నేత మాణిక్యాలరావుగారి మరణవార్త దిగ్భ్రాంతిని కలిగించింది. తెలుగుదేశం ప్రభుత్వ హయాంలో దేవాదాయ శాఖ మంత్రిగా నిజాయితీతో కూడిన సేవలందించారు ఆయన. వారి ఆత్మకు శాంతి చేకూరాలని ప్రార్ధిస్తూ, వారి కుటుంబ సభ్యులకు నా ప్రగాఢ సానుభూతిని తెలియజేస్తున్నాను. pic.twitter.com/cjWrsQMyvN
— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) August 1, 2020
Rao was elected from the Tadepalligudem seat in 2014, when the BJP contested the Assembly polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party (JSP).
Telugu actor Chiranjeevi, also expressed his condolences,“Saddened to learn about prominent politician & Ex. Minister Sri.P.Manikyala Rao's demise due to Corona.A compassionate human being, Sri. Rao made a humble beginning & grew to assume important political positions. May his soul rest in peace. Deepest condolences to his family members”
Saddened to learn about prominent politician & Ex.Minister Sri.P.Manikyala Rao's demise due to Corona.A compassionate human being,Sri.Rao made a humble beginning & grew to assume important political positions. May his soul rest in peace.Deepest condolences to his family members
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) August 1, 2020
Sad to hear the untimely demise of Sri P Manikyala Rao , senior leader of @BJP4Andhra . Coming from modest background he rose to become the cabinet minister of the state . Pray god for Sadgati to the departed soul . pic.twitter.com/d4GTFB3Oxe
— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) August 1, 2020
A lifelong RSS member, Pydikondala before becoming a full-time politician worked as a photographer and owned a studio. The former Visakapatanam MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju remembered the BJP leader to have been organising relief camps even while being admitted to a hospital, reported The New Indian Express.
Deeply shocked to hear about the untimely demise of former Minister & State General Secretary of @BJP4Andhra, Shri P Manikyala Rao Ji.
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 1, 2020
We will always remember him for his selfless service to the people of Andhra Pradesh.
May God give strength to his family members. Om Shanti
Saddened by the untimely demise of Ex minister and @BJP4Andhra State General Secretary Shri Pydikondala Manikyala Rao garu. May God give strength to his family members and well wishers to bear this loss.
— P Muralidhar Rao (@PMuralidharRao) August 1, 2020
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti... pic.twitter.com/9yehI00aHc