TDP senior leader, former minister and MLC Gali Muddu Krishnama Naidu passed away at a private hospital here in the early hours while undergoing treatment for dengue. He was 71 and is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.
According to sources, Muddu Krishnama Naidu breathed his last at around 2.50 am in the hospital. Residing at Padmavathipuram in Tirupati, Naidu was admitted to a private hospital here due to fever on Sunday.
Born on June 9, 1947 in Venkatramapuram village under Ramachandrapuram Mandal in Chittoor district, Naidu was associated with the TDP since its inception founded by actor-turned-politician N.T. Rama Rao in 1982. He was elected to the Assembly for six times from Puttur constituency in Chittoor district. He served as a minister in N.T. Rama Rao’s cabinets in 1984, 1987 and 1994 and held Education and Forest portfolios.
After NTR’s demise, Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu remained with NTR-TDP floated by Rama Rao’s widow Lakshmi Parvathi. In 2004, he joined the Congress and was elected to the Assembly on Congress ticket. However, he returned to the TDP in 2008 and the next year he was elected from the newly created Assembly constituency Nagari. However, he lost in the 2014 elections. Later, he was later made a member of the Legislative Council.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu condoled the death of the senior leader. He said the departed leader played a key role in the TDP and his demise “has shocked him”. Naidu’s body will be shifted to Puttur town, where last rites are likely to be performed on Thursday. (NSS)