NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, APR 11
Congress party’s Srivilliputhur constituency candidate in the April 6 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, P S W Madhava Rao died on Sunday due to COVID-19 complications, his family said.
63-year Rao is survived by his only daughter. He died at a private hospital in Madurai this morning where he was admitted on March 20 for treatment, Rao’s son-in-law, K Rajiv said.
Congress party secretary and Tamil Nadu in charge Sanjay Dutt tweeted saying he was deeply pained to learn about the demise of Rao due to COVID-19 complications.
“Our heartfelt condolences to his family. We stand with them in this hour of grief & pray may his soul rest in peace,” Dutt said.
AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam and DMK president M K Stalin expressed shock and grief over Rao”s death.
Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and the Congress party.
Stalin said Rao’s death was a huge loss for the people of Srivilliputhur and the Congress party. The DMK chief urged those in public life to act with precaution and get the vaccine administered.
While polls were held on April 6, the counting of votes is scheduled on May 2 and in case the Congress nominee emerged victorious, Srivilliputhur segment would face a bypoll later.
Sonia Gandhi condoles
#Congress President Resp. Smt #SoniaGandhi Ji's touching Condolence message to Smt Dhivya Rao, on the sad demise of her father Shri #MadhavaRao, @INCTamilNadu Leader & Congress Candidate from #Srivilliputhur Assembly constituency. pic.twitter.com/7pookB25oW
— Sanjay Dutt 🇮🇳 #JaiHind (@SanjaySDutt) April 11, 2021
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday condoled the demise of P S W Madhava Rao, the party’s assembly polls candidate from Srivilliputhur constituency in Tamil Nadu who died due to COVID-19 complications, and hailed his dedication and loyalty to the party.
In a letter to Rao’s daughter Dhivya Rao, Gandhi said she was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the passing away of a dedicated and loyal Congress leader after having fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A low profile and a hard-working Congressman, Madhava Rao, was our party’s candidate from the reserved assembly constituency of Srivilliputhur in the just concluded assembly polls,” Sonia Gandhi said in her letter to his daughter.
“Despite his hospitalisation in the middle of the campaign, you had taken upon yourself the responsibility to campaign for him so hard and garnered support from every section of the society that we were not only expecting Madhava Rao to come out of the hospital safely soon but also come out victorious in the election on 2nd May,” Gandhi said.
But the cruel fate had something else in store and have all been left bereaved, the Congress chief said.
“My heart goes out to you and your family and the entire Congress party stands with you all in this hour of grief. His service to the Congress party would be remembered,” she said.
While polls were held on April 6, the counting of votes is scheduled on May 2 and in case the Congress nominee emerged victorious, Srivilliputhur segment would face a bypoll later.
