Nellore: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said he was unable to come to terms with the fact that industries and IT minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy is no more.
Recalling his association with Goutham Reddy since hhs childhood while addressing a large gathering after paying floral tributes to the portrait of the late minister here on Monday, the CM said, “We were well acquainted since childhood. Though a year older, he used to consider me his big brother. Losing a good friend and a great leader has left a great void.”
“No matter what we say his loss is irreplaceable,” Jagan Mohan Reddy said while reiterating that the YSRC, including himself, would stand by Goutham Reddy;s family. “It is unfortunate to lose such a good man like Goutham Reddy who was with me at every step and he was a dear friend.”
Stressing that Goutham Reddy would not have entered politics if not for his encouragement, the CM credited him for prevailing upon his father Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, then a Congress MP, to join the YSRC when he differed with the Congress 12 years back.
"Goutham was very keen on state investments and worked hard for the welfare of the state till the last moment, " he said.
The Chief Minister said the government, after the request of Rajamohan Reddy, was working on modalities to take over the Rajamohan Reddy Institute of Technology and Science at Udayagiri and make it an agriculture and horticulture College.
He said the works of the Veligonda project of Udayagiri region will be brought under Phase -1 from Phase -2 and completed soon.
The Chief Minister said the works of Sangam Barrage would be completed by May 15 and it would be named Mekapati Goutham Sangam Barrage.
Presiding over the meeting, Nellore Rural legislator Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy thanked YSRC Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and his wife Prashanti for arranging the memorial service.
Rajmohan Reddy and minister P. Anilkumar Yadav also spoke on the occasion. Goutham Reddy’s mother Manimanjari, wife Keerthi, MPs Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and Adala Prabhakar Reddy, minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and all YSRC legislators and MLCs of Nellore were present among others.
Police fortified the memorial venue and their restrictions on entry into the conventional hall caused hardships to the media and even to the Goutham Reddy followers, who were holding passes to attend the programme.
