Political parties mourn YSR’s death (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - Cutting across party lines, political leaders Thursday mourned the death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, hailing him as a “man of determination, dynamism, charisma and conviction”.

A pall of gloom descended on Congress headquarters in New Delhi as news of Reddy’s death reached party members. The party flag flew at half mast.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also flew its flag at half mast at its headquarters here.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said she was “deeply saddened” by the death of Reddy, whom she described as a “leader of vision and dynamism”.

“The Congress is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy,” Gandhi told reporters after a condolence meeting of the Congress Working Committee here.

Describing the chief minister’s death as a “personal loss”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said “he died as he lived — in the service of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the country.

“In his untimely passing away, the state of Andhra Pradesh has lost an outstanding leader, and the country has lost an ideal chief minister who was a role model for other states.”

Calling him a “natural leader who was loved equally by the public, his colleagues and the common man”, Manmohan Singh said “the void his passing away has left behind will never be filled”.

Expressing deep shock and profound grief, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said the country had lost a towering personality. She called YSR — as he was popularly known — a “charismatic mass leader who carved out for himself a niche in the political spectrum at the national as well as state level”.

YSR died in a helicopter crash Wednesday. His body, along with those of four other victims, was found Thursday.

Vice President Hamid Ansari also called YSR a charismatic leader.

Former Prime Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressed his grief, saying that YSR was a hardworking, energetic and committed politician who was full of potential.

“With his death, Andhra Pradesh has lost a forward looking and progressive leader,” Vajpayee said.

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani said he was deeply saddened by YSR’s death and “the country has lost a popular leader”.

Advani, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, also said YSR’s contribution to the development of the state and particularly the deprived classes of the society was “praiseworthy”.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who said he had known YSR for many years, said the country had lost a man of the masses and the people of Andhra Pradesh a true son of the soil.

Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), said YSR’s death had shocked everyone and was a big loss for the state and the Congress party.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader A.B. Bardhan remarked that YSR was a “very dynamic national leader. It’s a big tragedy, a very sad end to a brilliant career.”

Bardhan’s colleague D. Raja said the death was a “big loss not only for Andhra Pradesh but also for the entire country. He was a popular leader”.

YSR’s main political rival, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, said in Hyderabad that beyond political differences, he had great friendship with the deceased chief minister.

“We were very good friends. He was a man of conviction and charisma. I am shocked,” Naidu said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called YSR a popular leader and an able administrator. “His position in south India cannot be filled by anyone,” she said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi expressed grief at the death and announced a two-day state mourning in Tamil Nadu as well. The state’s opposition leader, J. Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK, joined the chief minister in mourning YSR’s death.

Haryana and Punjab governments also declared a two-day state mourning. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit expressed her profound grief, saying YSR was an able administrator, strategist and a dedicated leader.