Thursday, Aug 15, 2013

Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has lost yet another senior leader to a mishap. Lal Jan Basha, the most prominent and popular Muslim face of the party and many times a member of Parliament, died in a road accident this morning near Narkatpally in Nalgonda district. Basha, who was also served as party general secretary and was very close to party founder NT Rama Rao as well as Chandrababu Naidu was 55 years old. Presently he was party vice president.

Police said the Innova car in which he was travelling turned up side down after hitting a divider and Basha died on the spot. He was going to Vijaywada when the accident occurred. The driver was seriously injured in the incident.

Basha’s body was taken to Nalgonda district hospital for postmortem before it was shifted to Guntur. Naidu who rushed to Nalgonda paid his last respect to Basha at the hospital.

“This is an irreparable loss for ever body. I am not able to bear this loss,” Naidu said.

Another senior party leader K. Yerran Naidu died in a road accident on November 2, 2012 when he was on his way from Visakhapatanam to Srikakulam. Basha’s death has drowned the TDP in mourning. Party leaders led by president N handrababu Naidu paid rich tributes to the leader. His body was kept at the Telugu Desam office at Guntur for the party rank and file to pay him their last respects.

Family announced that his funeral will take place on Friday. Chandrababu Naidu will be among the top politicians to attend the funeral.

Chandrababu Naidu recalled that Basha was with the party since its foundation in 1982 and worked sincerely for the party. He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1991 but was defeated in subsequent three elections. In 2002 he became Rajya Sabha member. His younger brother Ziauddin was also a member of state assembly.

State Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana was among the prominent political leaders from across the party lines who condoled the death of Lal Jan Basha and paid tributes to him.

By Mohammed Siddique Correspondent

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