Kakinada: The last rites of Telugu Desam Party leader Varapula Raja, 47, who died of heart attack on Saturday night, are being performed with state honours.
Raja was with the YSR Congress Party in the past and several YSRCP leaders including former minister Kurasala Kannababu, MP Vanga Geeta, and MLA Dwarapudi Chandrasekhar Reddy paid their last respects to the mortal remains of the TDP leader here on Sunday.
Kannababu recalled his association with Raja who was very friendly with one and all. He said that Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy who condoled the death also directed the officials to accord state honours for the last rites of the departed leader.
Raja who was campaigning vigorously for the TDP for MLC polls in north Andhra, returned to his native place Prattipadu near here on Saturday evening. He was speaking with his party colleagues and relatives till 8.30 p.m. when he suffered a heart attack. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Kakinada where he breathed his last late in the night.