Telangana CPM leader Rajaiah, who took bus as MLA, dies of COVID-19

Former MLA of Bhadrachalam and CPM leader Sunnam Rajaiah, who was known for his simple living, passed away due to Covid-19 on Tuesday.

He was 60, and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, none of whom is in politics.

Rajaiah’s funeral was held at his native village Sunnamvarigudem, which was allotted to Andhra Pradesh during state bifurcation.

Rajaiah had a fever and had cleared his first test for Covid-19.

When he did not recover, a second test was taken and the result was positive. Rajaiah’s health condition deteriorated and he was shifted to Vijayawada for treatment, where he died in a hospital.

Rajaiah was elected to the Assembly from Bhadrachalam in 1999, 2004 and 2014. Rajaiah was known to be idealistic and used to travel by autorickshaw to the Assembly and Secretariat in Hyderabad.

He was once stopped by the police while entering the Assembly after getting down from an autorickshaw. He had to then show the police his MLA’s identity card.

Rajaiah was also known to travel to Hyderabad and back home by RTC buses.

In one instance, a person from Bhadrachalam went to meet Rajaiah in Hyderabad on a minor problem that he was facing, related to the Scheduled Tribes students hostel. Rajaiah took him to the office in an autorickshaw and had the issue resolved by talking to the officials concerned.

As an MLA, he never tried to secure a government job for his children, nor inducted them into politics. One of his daughters, who completed her BTech, is working in a private company and the other two children are doing small jobs.

The people of Bhadrachalam recalled his services and paid tributes to Rajaiah. B. Sankar Reddy, a political leader in
Bhadrachalam, said,

“Rajaiah was an impeccable leader. Rajaiah was never egoistic and used to receive people warmly and hear their woes. He used to move with the people to solve their
problems.”

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, former CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and several political party leaders condoled the demise of Rajaiah.

Sudhakar Reddy said Rajaiah was a dedicated Communist who remained committed to the party in spite of various hurdles.

CPI-M Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem district committees expressed shock and grief. CPI-M Khammam district president N. Nageswara Rao said, “Sunnam was a committed and discipline leader of the CPI-M”

Transport minister Puvvada Ajay said, “The people of Khammam and Bhadradri districts have lost a perfect leader”.TRS MP Nama Nageswara Rao, former MP P. Srinivasa Reddy, former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Sattupalli MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah expressed their grief.