VIJAYAWADA: The final rites of former united Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nadendla Bhaskara Rao were performed on Thursday at the Panjagutta Hindu crematorium with full state honours.
His elder son Nadendla Murali performed the last rites, while Telangana police presented a ceremonial guard of honour with three rounds of firing. Earlier, Bhaskara Rao’s mortal remains were kept at his Jubilee Hills residence, where leaders cutting across party lines, film personalities and prominent figures from both Telugu States paid floral tributes.
Actor Chiranjeevi, producer Allu Aravind and representatives from the film industry joined Union Minister Kishan Reddy, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, and ministers Kandula Durgesh, Kolusu Partha Sarathy, Savitha and Kondapalli Srinivas, along with their counterparts from Telangana, in offering condolences.
Senior leaders including KVP Ramachandra Rao, T Subbarami Reddy, Jayaprakash Narayan, besides several MPs, MLAs and former ministers, also visited to console the bereaved family.
Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, who is recovering from surgery, could not attend the funeral. He telephoned Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, son of the late leader, to express his grief and solidarity.