KAKINADA: Telugu Desam leader Varupula Jogi Raju, popular as Raja, in charge of the party in Prathipadu constituency of Kakinada district, died on Saturday night of a heart attack. He was 47. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Varupula Raja complained of chest pain on Saturday night while at his residence in Prathipadu. His family members rushed him to a corporate hospital in Kakinada. He collapsed while getting into the hospital. Doctors tried to revive him but could not succeed. They declared him dead around 11 p.m.
The TD leader had started his career with Congress and had been chairman of East Godavari District Cooperative Central Bank. When Andhra Pradesh got bifurcated, he joined Telugu Desam. He contested from the Prathipadu constituency in 2019 on a Telugu Desam ticket but lost.
TDP leadership had made him in charge of the Saluru and Bobbili constituencies in the ongoing MLC elections in which he had been vigorously campaigning. Sources said he came to his house at Prathipadu on Saturday evening. He held discussions with the party cadre till about 8 p.m. He suffered a heart attack after that.
On Sunday, Chandrababu Naidu visited Prathipadu and placed a wreath on the deceased leader’s body. He consoled the family members over the demise and said the party will stand by them in their hour of crisis.
The TD leader told the media that in the aftermath of Covid-19, many people are suffering from heart attacks. In addition, Telugu Desam leaders are being harassed by the ruling YSRC. He pointed out that the state government has booked 12 false cases against Varupula Raja. Such harassment is a contributory factor that led to the leader’s demise.
Those who have condoled Varupula Raja’s death include TD state president K. Achchannaidu, former deputy chairman of Legislative Council Reddy Subrahamnayam, TD Konaseema president R. Anantha Kumari, Kakinada former MLA Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao (Kondababu), former Kakinada mayor Sunkara Pavani, TD leader S. Tirumala Kumar, YSRC MLC Anantha Babu, Telugu Desam Kakinada district president Jyothula Naveen Kumar, Peddapuram MLA Nimmakayala China Rajappa, former Pithapuram MLA S.V.S.N. Varma, and Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy.
