AP Assembly remembers Chandra Shekhar

Hyderabad, July 16 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Assembly today mourned the passing away of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar at New Delhi on July 8.

In a unanimous resolution, the Assembly said, ''this House places on record its deep sense of sorrow at the demise of Mr Chandra Shekhar, Former Prime Minister of India and conveys its deep sense of sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.'' Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said Mr Chandra Shekhar, who headed a coalition government with support extended by then Congress President Rajiv Gandhi, had strived for the uplift of the downtrodden.

The Former Prime Minister, as a member of the ruling Congress, had extended support to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she nationalised banks, he recalled.

Paying glowing tributes to the departed leader, Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu recalled his party's association with the Janata Party, led by the departed leader, in forging an alterative to the Congress.

He praised the leader for opposing the Emergency during the Indira Gandhi Regime.

Senior Congress Legislator M Satyanarayana Rao, a former MP, was all praise for Mr Chandra Shekhar, who along with another former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, used to encourage youngsters to speak in the House on various issues.

Senior TRS Leader K Vijayarama Rao and former minister N Narasimha Reddy fondly remembered the leader for writing a letter to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in support of formation of separate Telangana state.

BJP Floor Leader G Kishan Reddy, State Home Minister K Jana Reddy, Former Congress Legislature Party Leader P Janardhan Reddy and All India Majilis-E-Ittihadul Muslimeen Legislature Syed Pasha Quadri also recalled the contributions of the socialist leader.

The members observed two-minute silence before the House was adjourned for the day.

UNI