Senior BJP leader Chalapathi Rao dies at 87

Visakhapatnam: Veteran BJP leader and well-known trade union leader P.V. Chalapathi Rao passed away at a private hospital here on Sunday after a prolonged illness. He was 87 and is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. His son P.V.N. Madhav is an MLC from north coastal Andhra graduates constituency.

He will be cremated on Monday evening, party sources said.

Born on June 26, 1935, Chalapathi Rao left his state government job and later the legal profession to take part in politics.

He took an active part in the 1967-1968 Visakha Steel Plant agitation and organised a movement in 1969 for the construction of Polavaram Project on Godavari. In 1970, he quit legal practice 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 over 40 educational institutions in coastal areas from 1970 to 1974.

Chalapathi Rao got elected as an MLC in AP from the graduate constituency of North Sarkar Districts in 1974. In 1980, he was re-elected from the same constituency and held the position till the 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 to over 500 workers. Around 1,200 workers were made permanent in MES due to his sustained efforts. He served as trade union president and honorary president in several government undertakings including 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 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 the BJP.