Three-time MP, Jana Sena candidate SPY Reddy is dead

Three-time Lok Sabha member S.P.Y. Reddy, who sought re-election for a fourth consecutive term from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, passed away on Tuesday, his family said. He was 69.

The industrialist, who contested as Jana Sena candidate in April 11 polls, breathed his last at a private hospital in Hyderabad. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Reddy was suffering from heart and kidney related ailments and was admitted to the hospital on April 3. He took ill during the election campaign and was since undergoing treatment.

Reddy, who founded Nandi group of companies in 1984, began his political career with BJP but lost 1991 Lok Sabha polls from Nandyal. In 1999 he also contested unsuccessfully for Assembly.

He was first elected to Lok Sabha in 2004 on Congress party ticket. He retained the seat in 2009. He was re-elected for the third time in 2014 as a candidate of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) but subsequently defected to Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

As TDP denied him ticket, he quit the party to join Jana Sena of actor-politician Pawan Kalyan and in the last minute filed his nomination from Nandyal.

Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy have condoled the death of S.P.Y. Reddy.

--IANS

ms/prs