Kothagudem: From losing sarpanch election to setting a hat-trick record of getting elected as Bhadrachalam MLA, veteran communist, Kunja Bojji, left a mark of his own in the State politics.
He breathed his last at the ripe age of 95 at a private hospital in Bhadrachalam while undergoing treatment for breathing related ailments on Monday. He was a man worth emulating and remembering for the values which he lived by.
He belongs to a rare category of service-oriented and upright politicians. Considered an epitome of an ethical life, he was popularly called ‘Agency Sundarayya’, drawing comparison to the founding member of CPI (M), Puchallapalli Sundarayya.
Bojji often said he was inspired by Sundarayya and strictly followed the communist principles. He lived a simple life, donated major part of his salary as MLA to the party and did not have a house of his own or a car even as many of his communist comrades lived a rather lavish life.
Born on February 10, 1926, at Adavi Venkannagudem in VR Puram mandal in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, he worked as a courier for ‘Veera Telangana Viplava Dalam’ during Telangana Armed Rebellion and joined undivided Communist Party of India in 1952.
His first electoral fight was unsuccessful as he lost the VR Puram sarpanch election by just one vote in 1981. He was first elected as Bhadrachalam (ST reserved) MLA in 1985 and continued the winning spree in 1989, and 1994 Assembly elections thus creating a record.
The entire political life of Bojji was dedicated to the protection of rights of tribals, labourers and downtrodden. He actively fought for the effective implementation of Land Transfer Regulation Act 1 of 1970 (1/70 Act) and issue of pattas for podu farmers.
Bojji had a narrow escape from death when People’s War Group naxals ambushed him at Jeediguppa in VR Puram mandal in November of 1985. He rejected invitations from TDP which was in power when he was the MLA and remained the CPI(M) leader until his death.
Condolences poured in
Khammam MP and TRS Floor Leader in Lok Sabha, Nama Nageswar Rao, former minister T Nageswar Rao and several Left parties leaders have expressed grief at the death of Bojji. ‘As Bhadrachalam MLA he rendered great services for the upliftment of poor’, the MP said.
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