Veteran Cong leader G Venkataswamy passes away

HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister G Venkata swamy popularly known as 'Kaka' breathed his last after a brief illness on Monday. He was 85. He is survived by two sons and three daughters.

Venkataswamy, who had been not well in the last one month, was admitted to a private hospital in the city on Monday. Venkataswamy's body was kept at his residence at Somajiguda for public viewing and the last rites will be performed at Punjagutta crematorium on Tuesday afternoon.

Venkataswamy, a staunch loyalist of Congress, created a record by getting elected seven times as a Lok Sabha member from Peddapally seat in Karimnagar district and Siddipet in Medak. Swamy who started his political career as an ordinary Congress worker was elevated to top posts, including Congress Working Committee (CWC) member.

Kaka was known as a strong supporter of separate Telangana State. Kaka got injured in the police firing during 1969 Telangana movement. When Swamy heard that the Telangana agitators were being harassed by the police in Musheerabad jail in 1969, he rushed to the jail where he was injured in the police firing.

At one time during UPA regime, Venkataswamy's name was doing the rounds for the post of President. However, when the UPA government did not consider his name for the President post, Venkataswamy became inactive in Congress. He even criticised AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

Kaka was very close to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He fought for the rights of the poor and the weaker sections. Venkataswamy dreamt of providing shelter to all the poor and he was popular among masses as 'Gudisela' (huts) Venkat Swamy'.

Venkataswamy was elected to Assembly of erstwhile AP twice in 1957- 62 and 1978-84. Kaka was first elected to fourth Lok Sabha in 1967.

He worked as deputy minister of labour and rehabilitation in the Union Cabinet. He also served as Union Cabinet Minister of Textiles and Labour in 1995-96. He was deputy Congress Parliamentary Party leader in Lok Sabha and also worked in various Parliamentary committees.

Venkataswamy also served as Labour and Civil Supplies Minister in the combined AP Cabinet between 1978-1982. He was AP Pradesh Congress Committee chief from 1982-1984.

Meanwhile, Governor ESL Narasimhan, AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh, TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu, MPs V Hanumantha Rao, TRS MP K Kesava Rao, TPCC Chief P Laxmaiah, balladeer Gadar, former speaker K R Suresh Reddy and others condoled the death of Venkataswamy.

In his condolence message, Narasimhan said the State has lost a veteran leader, distinguished Parliamentarian and an eminent leader. Venkatawamy was born in Hyderabad. His son Vinod is a former MLA and another son Vivek a former MP.