Senior BJP leader PV Chalapathi Rao dies aged 87

Vishakhapatnam: Senior BJP leader and well-known trade union leader PV Chalapathi Rao died on Sunday after a prolonged illness. He was 87. He is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters. His son PVN Madhav is MLC from the north coastal Andhra graduates constituency.

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

He took an active part in the 1967-1968 Visakha Steel Plant agitation and organized a movement in 1969 for the construction of the Polavaram Project on the Godavari river. In 1970, he became a full-time worker for the Jana Sangh, quitting his profession as an advocate.

He spearhead the separate Andhra movement from 1972 to 1973 and was arrested several times during the agitation. From 1970 to 1974, he served in the Board of Directors in Bharateeya Vidya Kendram which has more than 40 educational institutions in coastal areas.

Chalapathi Rao got elected as a Member of the Legislative Council(MLC) of Andhra Pradesh from the graduate constituency of North Sarkar Districts in 1974. In 1980, he was re-elected from the same constituency and held office till AP Legislative Council was abolished in 1986.

He took up fast unto death, which lasted for 14 days, in 1978 for the workers’ cause in BHPV of Visakhapatnam, leading to the jobs of more than 500 workers being made permanent. Also, around 1,200 workers were made permanent in MES with his sustained efforts. He served as trade union president and honorary president in the government, undertaking organizations like BHPV, Naval Dockyard, HPCL, NSTL, Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Facor, MACE, MES, HZL, and Coromandel Fertilisers.

He was the first president of the AP union of BJP the position which he held from 1980 to 1986. During his tenure, in 1981, he played a key role in getting the BJP the first Mayor in South India from Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. In 1999, he served as a national executive committee member of the BJP.

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