Veteran freedom fighter dead

Vijayawada, Sep 9 (UNI) Veteran freedom fighter, former Lok Sabha Member and senior Congress leader Maganti Ankineedu died last nihgt after a protracted illness at a private hospital at Visakhapatnam.

He was 94.

Ankineedu was born in 1915. He took part in freedom struggle and the Quit India Movement and was imprisoned by the British.

He started his political carrier as a Congress member of village committee. At 21, he was elected as Gudivada Taluka Congress president. He continued in the Congress till his last breath.

Ankineedu was elected to Lok Sabha five times--thrice from Gudivada and twice from Machilipatnam. His wife and children predeceased him.

The body was brought to his hometown Gudivada this morning.

Several leaders cutting across party lines paid homage to the veteran leader. The funeral will take place tomorrow, family sources said.

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