Vizag: First Andhra BJP president PV Chalapathi Rao passes away; tributes pour in

Visakhapatnam: Senior BJP leader and well-known trade union leader PV Chalapathi Rao passed away after a prolonged illness in Vizag city on Sunday. He was 87.

He is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters. Rao's son PVN Madhav is a BJP leader and MLC from the north Andhra graduates constituency.

Chalapathi Rao was the first president of AP BJP, a position which he held from 1980 to 1986. During his tenure, in 1981, he played a key role in getting BJP the first Mayor in South India from Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.

Born on June 26, 1935, Chalapathi Rao left his state government job to join the legal profession before taking an active role in politics. He took an active part in the 1967-1968 Visakha Steel Plant agitation and organized a movement in 1969 for the construction of the Polavaram Project across Godavari.

BJP members said that Rao became a full-time worker for Jana Sangh in 1970. He led the separate Andhra movement from 1972 to 1973 and was arrested several times. In 1974, Rao was elected Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) of Andhra Pradesh from the graduate constituency of North Sarkar Districts.

In 1980 he was re-elected from the same constituency and held the office till AP Legislative Council was abolished in 1986. He took up fast unto death for 14 days in 1978 for the workers' cause in BHPV of Visakhapatnam. His struggle forced the authorities to regularize the job of more than 500 workers. Around 1200 workers were made permanent in MES with his sustained efforts. He served as trade union president and honorary president in the public sector undertaking organizations.

BJP leaders said that the body will be taken to his home in Vizag city where people will pay last respects to the departed soul. He will be cremated on Monday evening.