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| Lakhs bid adieu to YSR | | | Agencies
Hyderabad, Sept 4: Lakhs of people today bid a tearful farewell to charismatic Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who was killed in a helicopter crash, as his body was interred in his family's expansive estate here after a state funeral.
The last rites were performed in this rural town in Pulivendla constituency after a galaxy of national leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani joined a sea of humanity that had come all parts of the state to bid adieu to him in Hyderabad.
60-year-old Reddy's son Jaganmohan (36), the cynosure of all eyes against the backdrop of a succession race for the Chief Minister's post, was composed with hands folded acknowledging the mourners, many of whom raised slogans like "YSR amar rahe" (long live his memory).
But his wife Vijayalakshmi and daughter Sharmila were inconsolable as they sprinkled earth after the flower-bedecked coffin was lowered into the grave in his 300-acre estate in Kadapa district.
Interim Chief Minister K Rosiah, Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, V Narayanswamy and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and ministers of Reddy Cabinet were among the leaders present during the last rites performed here in accordance with Christian practices.
The last journey of the leader, who received a massive mandate for the second consecutive term on the back of various welfare programmes, began from his Begumpet residence in Hyderabad as the coffin, wrapped in tri-colour, was placed on a gun carriage which was pulled by an army truck.
Singh, Gandhi, her son Rahul and top leaders of Congress and other political parties including TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP Leader M Venkaiah Naidu paid homage and placed wreaths on his body.
Union ministers P Chidambaram, A K Antony, M Veerappa Moily, Prithviraj Chavan, besides Chief Ministers Sheila Dixit, Ashok K Gehlot and several leaders cutting across political divide including his arch rival TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu paid their homage at his residence.
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