Telangana activist Jitta Balakrishna Reddy passes away

Besides Telangana movement, he also took part in protests over fluoride water in Nalgonda district.

Telangana activist Jitta Balakrishna Reddy Photo | Express

HYDERABAD: Telangana activist Jitta Balakrishna Reddy passed away while undergoing treatment for neurological issues at a private hospital here on Friday. He was 52. His last rites were held at his farmhouse in Maggampalli near Bhongir on Friday evening.

Balakrishna Reddy’s political journey aligns with the inception of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS, now BRS). He played a crucial role in the Telangana movement as well as the TRS. He headed the youth wing of TRS till he left the pink party after party supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao denied him a ticket in 2009 polls.

Besides Telangana movement, he also took part in protests over fluoride water in Nalgonda district. He was also involved in charitable works in the Bhongir Assembly segment, providing safe drinking water to his constituents.

Though he faced setbacks in electoral politics, he continued to be in active politics until he was finally bed-ridden recently. He floated the Yuva Telangana Party (YTP), which later merged into BJP. In 2023, he returned to the BRS.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed profound grief over the untimely demise of Balakrishna Reddy.

“Jitta Balakrishna Reddy played an important role in uniting the youth during the Telangana movement,” the CM recalled.

The CM conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members. Former minister T Harish Rao said that Balakrishna Reddy’s demise is an irreparable loss. Congress MLAs Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, K Anil Reddy, Yennem Srinivas Reddy, MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and others attended his funeral.