Adilabad: Former Adilabad MP and senior BJP leader Ramesh Rathod passed away on Saturday due to cardiac arrest on Saturday afternoon. He was 57.
His wife Suman Rathod was once elected MLA from Khanapur and his son Ritesh Rathod contested unsuccessfully from the same seat.
Ramesh Rathod fell sick at his home in Utnoor and was shifted to a private hospital in Adilabad. Doctors advised to shift him to Hyderabad. He died on the way. Rathod was known to be a leader who was available round the clock for the people in emergencies and problems.
Union minister of state Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Adilabad MP Godam Nagesh, former ministers Jogu Ramanna, Indrakaran Reddy, and S. Venugopala Chary expressed their condolence to the bereaved family members.
Rathod started his political career as sarpanch of his native Thadihatnoor in Narnoor mandal. He was first elected as MLA on a TD ticket from Khanapur in 1999 and later became Adilabad ZP chairman in 2007 and Member of Parliament on a TD ticket in 2009. He joined the BRS and then the Congress.
As a Congress candidate, he faced defeat in the 2018 state polls and 2019 general elections. He joined the BJP but the party did not field him for the recent elections.
