HYDERABAD: First Home Minister of Telangana state, founder member of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and noted trade union leader Nayani Narsimha Reddy is breathed his last on Thursday. The 76-year-old had tested positive for COVID-19 recently and later tested negative. However, with other ailments he was admitted to hospital. He died while undergoing for lung-related problems.
Nayani played an active role both in first generation separate Telangana movement in 1969 and also later from 2014. He was one among the handful of leaders who founded Telangana along with TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
He was known for his wit and his loud and powerful voice in pukka Telangana dialect. Nayani was also a popular trade union leader. He played key role at national level in Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and he was president of its Telangana unit till his last day.
Born in Neredugommu village in Devarakonda mandal in Nalgonda district, Nayani studied up to HSC. While participating in trade union activities, Nayani started his political career with Janta Party.
A three-time MLA from Musheerabad Assembly segment in Hyderabad, Nayani elected to Assembly for the first time in 1978 on Janata Party ticket. He won for the second time on Janata Party ticket in 1985 and on TRS ticket in 2004.
Nayani served as as Technical Education Minister from 2005 to 2008 in YS Rajasekhara Reddy government. The TRS had an alliance with Congress party at that time. After the formation of Telangana, he was sent to Legislative Council from Governor's quota. He served as Home Minister from 2014 to 2018.
Nayani was elected several times presidents of several trade unions including VST industries. As an HMS leader, Nayani even influenced the trade union movement in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
Being a socialist, Nayani never compromised on the political ideals he believed and disassociated from Congress party. He neither joined BJP. He became active in politics after he founded the TRS along with KCR.
When his six year term as MLC was completed recently, Nayani wanted TRS president KCR to renominate him to the Council once again. When, KCR did not give any assurance, then Nayani thundered: "we are the owners of the pink party and not tenants".
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed shock over the death of former Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy. Rai recalled his association with Nayani during the Telangana separate statehood movement and also in the Sate government.
Rao conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family. The CM instructed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to arrange the last rites to the departed leader with official honours.