Veteran Congress leader and former Minister of United Andhra Pradesh, Juvvadi Ratnakar Rao, passed away at his native place Karimnagar in Telangana on Sunday. He was 91.
He had been ailing for some time and had been admitted to a private hospital in Karimnagar. He breathed his last in the early hours on Sunday at the hospital, according to his family members.
Ratnakar was elected thrice to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly from Buggaram Assembly Constituency (present Korutla Constituency) in Jagitial district of Telangana. He served as the Minister for Endowments, Stamps and Registrations in YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s cabinet.
Ratnakar Rao, who was born on October 4, 1928, was also part of the Telangana Armed Rebel struggle as a youngster and is said to have been jailed for a brief period, according to local media.
Ratnakar began his political career as the Jagitial Panchayat Samiti President in 1982. He later contested the assembly elections in the same year and was defeated from Jagitial constituency.
In 1989 elections, when Congress denied him a ticket, Ratnakar Rao won from Buggaram constituency as an independent candidate and was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He later contested the elections on a Congress ticket and won in 1999 as well as 2004. Juvvadi retired from active politics after he lost the elections in 2009.
The leader is survived by three sons. The leader’s last rites will be conducted in Thammapur of Dharmapuri mandal. A statement from Chief Minister's office said that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has instructed Chief Secretary to organise a funeral with full state honours.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has condoled the death of the leader. In a message, he offered his heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family. Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the veteran leader’s death is an “irreplaceable void to the party”. Leaders of the TRS and the CPI have also expressed their condolences.