Veteran CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy passes away

Hyderabad: Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy passed away late on Friday night, party sources said on Saturday. He was 83. Many leaders, cutting across party lines expressed their grief at his passing away.

The former MP, who served as the party’s general secretary from 2012 to 2019, breathed his last at a private hospital where he was undergoing treatment for old age-related ailments.

Sudhakar Reddy is survived by his wife Vijayalaxmi and two sons.

He was elected twice to the Lok Sabha from the Nalgonda constituency in 1998 and 2004.

Born in Kanchupadu village in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana on March 25, 1942, son of a freedom fighter, Sudhakar Reddy began his political career from the All India Students Federation (AISF).

He did his BA from Osmania College in Kurnool and obtained a degree in law from Osmania University.

He was widely respected for his unwavering commitment to workers’ rights and social justice. Dedicated to the Leftist movement, he participated in many grassroot struggles.

Sudhakar Reddy was known as a passionate advocate for the marginalised and an articulate voice for the working class. He was one of the last Communist stalwarts from the Telugu states.

CPI National General Secretary D. Raja, National Secretary Narayana and other leaders visited the hospital as the news of his demise spread.

Sudhakar Reddy’s mortal remains will be kept at the CPI office at Himayatnagar from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. on Saturday to enable party workers and his followers to pay their last respects.

Family members said a procession will be taken out from the CPI office at 3 P.M. to Gandhi Hospital, where his body will be donated to Gandhi Medical College.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed shock over Sudhakar Reddy’s death. The Chief Minister prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

He recalled that Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, who hailed from Nalgonda district, rose to prominence as a national-level leader, actively participating in Leftist movements and several people’s struggles.

The Chief Minister praised him as a great leader who was elected twice as the Member of Parliament from Nalgonda. Expressing grief, the Chief Minister said the nation has lost a remarkable leader who left his unique mark on Indian politics.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also paid rich tributes, recalling Sudhakar Reddy’s journey from a remote village to national leadership in the CPI.

Former Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed grief over the passing away of Sudhakar Reddy He described Sudhakar Reddy as a “son of Telangana soil” who dedicated his life to the uplift of oppressed communities. He recalled his association with the veteran leader during the Telangana movement.

IANS