Chinnakondur former MLA Kondaveeti Gurnath Reddy, who played an active role in the Telangana armed struggle in the district, died yesterday due to health problem. He was 92.
He has been suffering from health problem for some time. When his health condition worsened, his family members tried to shift him to Hyderabad for better medical treatment. But, he breathed his lost near Choutuppal on the way to Hyderabad. He leaves behind three sons and five daughters.
Gurnath Reddy belongs to Palivela village of Munugodu mandal in the district. He was born in 1920. He was the third son of Kondaveeti Laxminarsaiah and Narsamma.
Reacting to the call given by Mahathma Gandhi, Gurnath Reddy participated in the Quit India Movement. He also played an active role in the Telangana armed struggle and fought against activities of the Razakars. Indicating how strong his will power, Reddy went to Mumbai by walk to participate in a meeting related to freedom struggle and hear the speeches of national leaders Mahathma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. During the freedom struggle, he was sent to jail several times. At the age of 16, he participated in satyagraha conducted in 1938 at Hyderabad.
Strongly opposing the Nizam rule, he had joined the Communist movement in 1942. Under his leadership, activists of Telangana armed struggle attacked Puttapaka and Vaillapally camps of Razakars in Narayanapuram mandal and killed 40 Razakars.
WORKED FOR PEOPLES’ WELFARE
In 1953, Gurnath Reddy was unanimously elected as surpanch of Palivela gram panchayat. In 1962 elections, Gurnath Reddy had contested from Chinnakodur constituency and elected to the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly. He won against eminent freedom fighter Konda Laxman Bapuji in the elections. Since then, he dedicated his life for welfare of the people and development of the area. With the help of donors, he constructed a library and bus stop in his village. He also conducted public awareness programmes on environment and encouraged the people for tree plantation.
Gurnath Reddy distributed his ancestral lands to the landless poor. In 1973, Reddy joined the CPI (ML) Chandrapulla Reddy group and spent underground life for four years. He has worked as State Secretary of India-China Mithra Mandali.
He ran a night school for 30 years to extend education to the working people. (NSS)
