Former Sikkim Governor V Rama Rao passes away

Former Sikkim Governor and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ventrapragada Rama Rao died at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday following illness.

"He was 81 and is survived by wife and son," Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy told PTI.

Rama Rao was born in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in 1935.

"He was one of the founders of Jana Sangh in Andhra Pradesh and was elected to Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Council from Hyderabad Graduates' Constituency for four consecutive terms from 1966. He was also AP BJP president during 1993 and 1997," Reddy said.

Rama Rao was appointed as the Sikkim Governor in 2002, he added.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed grief at his demise.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao, Kishan Reddy among other party leaders also expressed condolence over Rama Rao's demise.

The last rites will be performed tomorrow in Hyderabad.

BJP president Amit Shah expressed deep sorrow over his death.

"Rao's life was dedicated to nationalist ideology. His political life began from Jan Sangh and he kept serving the BJP till the end. Rao's life is an irreparable loss in political sphere.
"I pray to God that his soul may rest in peace and his aggrieved family members get the strength," Shah said in a press statement.