HYDERABAD: Former Speaker of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and ex-Minister P Ramachandra Reddy, who was the then elected president of Patancheru Panchayat Samithi in 1957, which was selected on experimental basis for the introduction of panchayat raj system in the entire country, passed away at his residence in SR Nagar on Saturday night.
The 89-year-old Reddy, who had been suffering from old-age related ailments for the past few months, fell down in bathroom of his house two days ago. Later, while undergoing treatment at a hospital, the senior politico breathed his last. Reddy is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.
Reddy, who was born on December 3, 1929 in an agricultural family in Marepalli village of Medak district, began practising as an advocate in 1956 in Hyderabad, after completing BA followed by LLB from Osmania University. As a student leader, he participated in the struggle against the Nizam's autocratic rule. He was imprisoned at that time.
He was elected to the AP Assembly from Sangareddy constituency four times on Congress party ticket and once as an independent. In 1989, he was elected as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly when M Chenna Reddy was the chief minister of the then united State. He also held industries minister post in the then N Janardhan Reddy's Cabinet.
After 1999, Reddy quit the Congress Party. In 2004, he unsuccessfully contested on BJP ticket from Medak Lok Sabha constituency.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed deep condolences over the demise of Ramachandra Reddy and recalled his association with him. He said that Reddy was known all over the country as the first generation of political leaders who had worked for strengthening the Panchayat Raj institutions.