PM, Sonia condole death of Yerran Naidu

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi today condoled the demise of senior TDP leader and former Union minister K Yerran Naidu. The 55-year-old Naidu died in a road accident in his native Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh early today. In his condolence message, the prime minister described Naidu as a “distinguished” Parliamentarian and political personality who made valuable contribution to public life.[caption id=“attachment_512488” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Yerran Naidu. Image courtesy ibnlive[/caption] “I have learned with profound sorrow about the tragic demise of Yerran Naidu in a road accident. In his death, we have lost a distinguished Parliamentarian and political personality who made a valuable contribution to public life in Andhra Pradesh and India. My heart goes out in sympathy to the members of the bereaved family,” the prime minister said. The Congress president also expressed her heartfelt condolences. His funeral will take place this afternoon in his village in Srikakulam. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah, Union Ministers S Jaipal Reddy, Daggubati Purandeswari, several state ministers and leaders of different political parties also expressed grief over Yerran Naidu’s death. “Andhra Pradesh lost a good leader,” Narasimhan said in a message, recalling Yerran Naidu’s services as an MLA and an MP. “I lost a good personal friend,” Kiran Kumar said in a separate message. “We were good friends both inside the Assembly and outside. He used to be in the forefront in rendering services to the poor and downtrodden,” the chief minister recalled. CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, in a message sent to the TDP headquarters, said Yerran Naidu made an important contribution to national politics as leader of TDP in Lok Sabha. “He commanded the respect of all across the political spectrum. I am deeply shocked and grieved to hear about his tragic demise,” Karat added. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has taken a day’s break from his ongoing Vastunna Meekosam foot march in Mahbubnagar district and took a special flight to Visakhapatnam en route Srikakulam, along with his senior colleagues, to pay homage to Yerran Naidu. Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao, Lok Satta Party president N Jayaprakash Narayan, BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu, state president G Kishan Reddy, CPM politburo members Sitaram Yechury and B V Raghavulu and a host of others condoled Yerran Naidu’s death and extended sympathies to the bereaved family. Union Minister of State for Telecommunications and IT Killi Kruparani, who defeated Yerran Naidu in 2009 elections, visited his house and paid homage. State R&B Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and Srikakulam district collector Saurabh Gaur also paid homage to the departed leader. At the TDP headquarters NTR Bhavan in Hyderabad, Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader Nama Nageswara Rao-led his party colleagues in paying floral tributes to their politburo member. Expressing shock over Naidu’s death in a road accident, Lok Satta president and MLA N Jayaprakash Narayan said the incident highlights the need to regulate road traffic and safety measures. The 55-year-old former Union minister will be cremated in his native village Nimmada on Saturday morning with full state honours. PTI