Friends recall Sayanna\'s association

HYDERABAD: BRS MLA G. Sayanna recently met with his close friends at his residence. As they were getting ready to depart, Sayanna asked his friends to join his family as they observed Maha Shivaratri. Soon, however, he took ill and was admitted to a city hospital.

“On the day of the festival, his health deteriorated,” recalled the MLA’s long-time friend B. Raju who was at the meeting. “We visited his residence to pay tributes to our friend," he said.

Raju and a group of Sayanna's friends gathered again at the MLA’s home, this time to floral tributes after shifting the body to his residence in Ashoknagar, Chikkadpally, near RTC crossroads. "We thought that Sayanna had a minor issue and would return home safely. We even met him in the hospital and cracked jokes,” Raju recalled.

BRS activists and leaders squatted at Sayanna's residence, remembering their association with the popular MLA and to pay tribute. They erected banners paying tribute to Sayanna. With Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao visiting the place, the central zone police tightened security arrangements.

Police have partially closed a stretch of road at Jawaharnagar after the family shifted Sayanna's body to the residence. A group of youth came from Secunderabad Cantonment, holding placards for Sayanna shouting the slogan, “Sayanna amar rahe (long live Sayanna).” Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Ch Malla Reddy monitored arrangements at the home of their departed party colleague.