Hyderabad: Senior Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and former home minister Nayini Narasimha Ready’s breathed his last after his health deteriorated. He had been admitted at a private hospital in Hyderabad from about two weeks. The former TRS MLC, who was once a close confidant of chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had developed breathing problems after he recovered from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Narasimha Reddy had been hospitalised about two weeks ago, after he tested negative for COVID-19. However, his health deteriorated in spite of it. In fact, KCR had visited the former MLC on Wednesday. Many had earlier pointed out that in spite of Nayani being in a critical condition, KCR had earlier not visited the TRS leader, and cold-shouldered him.
“There is nothing of that sort. Nayani has always been close to KCR. In 2014, after the TRS came to power for the first time, Nayani was first made home minister, and then he became an MLC. That shows how close he was with KCR. Today evening, he has stopped responding to treatment and his condition became critical,” said a senior TRS legislator, who did not want to be quoted.
Nayani Narasimha Reddy, who was the home minister during the TRS government’s first term (2014-19), had begun his life as a socialist leader and began his political career with the Janata Party. He had never been a Congressman, nor did he veer towards the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).
The former Home Minister had also actively participated in the 1969 Telangana statehood agitation, and later supported the same demand alongside KCR from 2009. His efforts were rewarded, as Nayani was made Telangana’s first Home Minister after the state was formed.
While TRS leaders denied that there were no issues between Nayani and KCR off-late, it may be recalled that last year there were rumours that the former was planning to join the BJP as he was unhappy in the TRS. Nayani’s name had cropped up along with a handful of others, who were reportedly being courted by the BJP.
It was then reported that Nayani and some others were miffed with being denied cabinet berths in the TRS government, after it came to power for a second time in the 2018 state elections. “He was nice with most people. Narasimha Reddy had a rough voice, but he is actually a very soft person,” added the senior TRS leader.