Former minister of Andhra Pradesh Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city.
He was 73, and had been suffering from poor health for some time.
Born on April 15, 1949, Bojjala completed his graduation from the Sri Venkateswara University. He was elected as the MLA for the Sri Kalahasti Assembly constituency five times - in 1989, 1994, 1999, 2009 and 2014.
Bojjala was very close to TDP president and former AP CM Chandrababu Naidu - he was accompanying Naidu when a bomb blast took place at Alipiri. He also used to be close to KCR, and former ministers Thummala Nageswara Rao, Mandava Venkateshwara Rao and Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy.
Chandrababu Naidu termed the death of Bojjala as a great loss to the party. He reminisced that Bojjala had started his career as a lawyer, and had joined the TDP in response to a call by the former CM of AP and the party's founder N T Rama Rao. He claimed that Bojjala was always available for the people of his constituency.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao too condoled the death of Bojjala. He expressed grief on losing a close friend and political colleague. He recollected that he had visited the ailing Bojjala and consoled him at the latter's residence after the formation of Telangana state. He expressed sympathies to the bereaved family members of the senior leader.