Veteran Congress leader D Srinivas passes away; former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute

Hyderabad: Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday paid tribute to Telangana veteran Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Dharmapuri Srinivas who passed away in the early hours today.
Srinivas passed away due to prolonged illness at the age of 76 at his residence in Hyderabad.
Srinivas, a three-time MLA from Nizamabad (rural) served as a two-time president of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee. He led the party to power in the 2004 and 2009 elections in the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh. After the bifurcation into two states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Srinivas resigned from the Congress party and joined the BRS in July, 2015.
He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022 and later rejoined Congress Party.
Speaking to ANI, Naidu said, "A senior politician, former Congress president, former minister who held important portfolios and above all, a gentle, humble human being who was always available to the people, used to spend time with the people... I convey my condolences to the family members."
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Telangana ministers, and senior leaders of the Congress party expressed condolences over his demise.
Apart from that, Telangana Minister of Roads and Buildings and Cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Congress Senior Leader V Hanumanth Rao and Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao paid their last respects.
In a post on X, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy wrote, "I had the good fortune to work with them in the Legislature and was constantly encouraged by them. DS was close to everyone irrespective of the parties. DS always said that youth should enter politics."
"In 2004, he brought Congress to power in the capacity of PCC President. The person who fought for the formation of Telangana as a separate state while being in the Congress party, the person who played a key role in the formation of Telangana.. DS Garu. My deepest condolences to his family. I pray to God to rest the soul of DS," he added.