Visakhapatnam: Senior BJP leader and former president of united Andhra Pradesh, Pokkala Venkata Chalapathi Rao, popularly known as PV Chalapathi Rao, passed away at a corporate hospital here on Sunday after a prolonged illness.
He was 87 years old and is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.
His son PVN Madhav is MLC from north coastal Andhra graduates constituency.
Chalapathi Rao, was a well-known trade union leader, who left his state government job and later legal profession to take an active role in politics.
He took active part in the 1967-1968 Visakha Steel Plant agitation and organised movement in 1969 for the construction of Polavaram Project on river Godavari.
In 1970, he quit his practice as an advocate and became a full time worker for Jana Sangh.
He spearheaded the separate Andhra movement from 1972 to 1973 and got arrested several times during the agitation.
He served as Board of Director in Bharateeya Vidya Kendram which has more than 40 educational institutions in coastal areas from 1970 to 1974.
Chalapathi Rao, who was elected Member of Legislative Council (MLC) of Andhra Pradesh from the graduate constituency of North Sarkar Districts in 1974, was re-elected from the same constituency in 1980 and held the office till AP Legislative Council was abolished in 1986.
He took up fast unto death for 14 days in 1978 for the workers’ cause in BHPV of Visakhapatnam and created history by making the job permanent for more than 500 workers.
He served as trade union president and honorary president in the government undertaking organizations like BHPV, Naval Dockyard, HPCL,NSTL,Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Facor, MACE, MES, HZL and Coromandel Fertilisers.
He was the first president of AP union of BJP, the position which he held from 1980 to 1986.
During his tenure, in 1981, he played a key role in getting BJP the first Mayor in South India from Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. In 1999 he served as national executive committee member of BJP.
Meanwhile, BJP state President Somu Veerraju expressed deep shock over the sudden death of a former BJP MLC.
Chalapathi Rao was his mentor who worked continuously for the development of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Somu said in a statement.
He said that Chalapathy Rao’s services as a labor union leader and Visakha Graduates Constituency MLC are memorable.
He said that he was one of the prominent people who worked for the development of the Jana Sangh Party in the state.
May his soul rest in peace and God bless his family, he added.
