Former minister and TRS leader Kamatam Ram Reddy breathed his last today at his residence following a prolonged illness caused by age-related issues.
He was 83.
Reddy had a fruitful political career spanning many decades, and was a three-time MLA from Rangareddy district's Parigi Assembly constituency in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He was elected from the constituency first as an independent candidate in 1967, and then as a Congress candidate in 1972 and 1989. He was also elected as an MLC in 1980.
The veteran politician was also made Civil Supplies Minister in Jalagam Vengal Rao's cabinet in 1977, Marketing & Warehousing Minister in the N Janardhan Reddy cabinet in 1991, and Revenue Minister in the Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy cabinet in 1992.
After his long association with the Congress fell through in 2014 when the party refused him a ticket in the 2014 Assembly elections, Reddy joined the BJP.
Following an uneventful stint in the saffron party, he joined the ruling party, the TRS, in 2018, but did not take an active part in politics.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao expressed his sorrow at the passing of the veteran politician, and said that the latter would be remembered as a dedicated leader of the people. Rao fondly recalled their association, and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
Other leaders including TRS MP Dr Ranjith Reddy also expressed their sorrow at Reddy's death.
The former minister's last rites will be held in Mahbubnagar district later today.
filed in:Telangana, Deaths, Prominent Deaths, TRS, Telangana Congress