HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu paid their last respects to veteran communist leader and former CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy at the CPI state headquarters, Makdoom Bhavan, in Hyderabad on Sunday.
The former MP breathed his last on Friday.
Later in the day, Sudhakar Reddy’s mortal remains, as per his wish, were donated to Gandhi Medical College for medical research. His eyes had earlier been donated to LV Prasad Eye Institute.
Speaking on the occasion, Revanth Reddy said the state Cabinet would consider establishing a memorial in Sudhakar Reddy’s name on the lines of Telangana Horticulture University and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project, which were set up in memory of Konda Lakshman Bapuji and Sudini Jaipal Reddy respectively.
“My government is committed to honouring those who have served as role models for the people of Telangana,” he said.
Chandrababu Naidu hailed Sudhakar Reddy’s lifelong commitment to democratic values and crucial role he played in both national politics and the communist movement.
Recalling their shared participation in several people’s movements, Naidu described Sudhakar Reddy as a courageous leader who never compromised on his ideological beliefs.
“From a grassroots party worker to a Member of Parliament, he rose through the ranks with humility and conviction,” he said.
“He brought great pride to Mahbubnagar district and left an indelible mark on Indian politics,” the AP chief minister added.
Revanth recalled how Sudhakar Reddy advocated for renaming Telugu University after freedom fighter Suravaram Pratap Reddy.
The CM said that he had accepted the proposal immediately after he received a letter from Sudhakar Reddy through CPI MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, when the Assembly was in session.
The Telangana government announced that Sudhakar Reddy’s final rites would be conducted with full state honours.