Congress takes pride in Narasimha Rao's achievements, contributions: Sonia

Describing former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao as a dedicated Congress leader, AICC President Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the grand old party takes pride in his accomplishments and contribution.

"Shri PV Narasimha Rao's tenure was also marked by a number of political, social and foreign policy achievements that have endured. Above all he was a dedicated Congress man who served the party devotedly in various capacities," she said in a message read out by Telangana Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The Congress in Telangana launched the centenary celebrations of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao on July 24.

Congratulating the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee for having organised the year long celebrations, she said, "Shri PV Narasimha Rao was a very respected national and international figure. The Congress party takes pride in his many accomplishments and contributions."

The birth centenary of Rao is an occasion to recall and pay tribute to a most scholarly and erudite personality who after a long career in state and national politics, the Prime Minister of the country at a time of "grave economic crisis", she added.

Gandhi noted that the union budget of July 24 1991, paved the way for the economic transformation of our country.