VIJAYAWADA : All arrangements are in place for the 75th birth anniversary celebrations of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, former chief minister of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh, on Monday.
Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Congress Working Committee member Gidugu Rudraraju said Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and his Cabinet colleagues will participate in the YSR birth anniversary celebrations to be held at CK Convention Centre in Mangalagri. CWC members N Raghuveera Reddy, Koppula Raju and MM Pallam Raju, AICC State in-charges Manickam Tagore and CD Meyyappan, and other senior party leaders will also attend the programme, which will be presided over by APCC chief YS Sharmila Reddy.
Gidugu said YSR was a tall leader in Congress and had a great rapport with Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. “He led the Congress to victory in Andhra Pradesh in 2004 and 2009. He introduced several popular schemes as the chief minister, and focused on the Indiramma - Integrated Development Concept. He was the first chief minister to implement welfare schemes in saturation mode,” the CWC member explained.
APCC working president Sk Mastan Vali said YSR introduced several welfare schemes like fee reimbursement, 108 service and Aarogyasri, which helped people greatly. “YSR will remain a much cherished and respected leader of the Congress in history,” he said.
In her message, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi described YSR as a towering leader of Andhra Pradesh and India, and hailed his services to the country, State, people and Congress. “YSR’s legacy is being carried forward by his daughter YS Sharmila Reddy,” she said.
Sonia Gandhi said she had the highest regard for YSR both as a fine human being and as a valued colleague in Congress. She asserted that the Congress will always honour his memory.
Thanking Sonia Gandhi, APCC chief Sharmila in her post on X, said, “I am extremely overwhelmed and overjoyed to acknowledge the wonderful message delivered by Sonia ji, remembering Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, on his 75th birth anniversary, to be celebrated tomorrow. It is more than just heartening to receive this invaluable encomium that perfectly captures the essence of his association with Congress, the bond he shared with you, and most importantly, the services he had rendered till his last breath.”
“I will continue to draw inspiration from my father, and work towards achieving Rahul Gandhi’s aspirations to realise a nation filled with love, peace, and harmony,” she added.