By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday condoled the death of senior Praja Rajyam leader and former union minister P. Upendra, calling him a “distinguished parliamentarian”.
In his condolence message to the deceased’s family, Manmohan Singh said:
“I was grieved to hear of the sad passing away of Upendra.
“Upendra was a distinguished parliamentarian. He was active in politics till the end and in his demise the state of Andhra Pradesh and the country has lost a public leader of standing.”
Upendra died of renal failure in Hyderabad Monday.
A founding member of the Telugu Desam Party and for long an associate of N.T. Rama Rao, Upendra was minister for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs in the National Front government of V.P. Singh in 1989-90.
He later joined the Congress party and was elected to the Lok Sabha on its ticket for two terms — in 1996 and 1998.