Tearful KCR pays tribute to folk singer Saichand in Gurramguda, consoles family

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was moved to tears when he paid his tributes to noted folk singer Saichand in Gurramguda near Hyderabad on Thursday. KCR, who expressed his shock and grief over Saichand’s sudden demise in a tweet early morning, visited the residence of the departed leader on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Saichand passed away at a hospital in Nagarkurnool in the early hours of Thursday after suffering a heart stroke at his farmhouse in the district.

As KCR went near the mortal remains of Saichand, the BRS supremo became emotional before he regained his composure to pay his last respects to the popular singer who inspired the agitators with his songs at the height of the Telangana statehood agitation.

He later consoled the distraught family members of Saichand, including his wife and son. In his tweet earlier, KCR recalled the contribution of Saichand in achieving the Telangana state and vowed to stand by his bereaved family.

Saichand’s songs were the binding glue during statehood agitation: KTR

BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, who took to Twitter to express his shock over the demise of Saichand, paid his tributes to the mortal remains at the folk singer’s residence in Gurramguda near Hyderabad. The Telangana minister became tearful while paying his last respects to the singer. After consoling the bereaved family members, he shared his grief while speaking to the media.

KTR said that Saichand was the binding blue with his songs for all the agitators at the height of the Telangana separate statehood movement.

“My brother Saichand worked in tandem with us during the agitation. With the power and impact of his songs, he weaned away students from resorting to impulsive acts of suicides. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that you won’t be able to find anyone who can’t adore the Telangana cause and the voice of Saichand. Had he been in Hyderabad (at the time of suffering the heartstroke), he would have been alive now.

“Saichand leaves behind two small kids. We feel the cruelty of fate only when we are hit with tragedies like these. We will stand by his family,” said KTR.

Tearful Prashanth Reddy recalls association with Saichand

Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy broke down, seeing the lifeless body of Saichand at the latter’s residence in Gurramguda. Speaking to the media after paying tributes to Saichand, Prashanth Reddy recalled his association with the popular folk singer, with a heavy heart.

He said that Saichand’s contribution to the Telangana movement was invaluable. “We both shared our thoughts on several aspects during the statehood movement. Recently, we spent some time together. On my way back to the city from Mahabubnagar, he invited me to his newly-built house here in Gurramguda. I promised to visit in the near future but God has not been kind to his family. The BRS and I, in my individual capacity, will stand in support of his family,” said the grief-stricken minister.

Several Telangana ministers including Harish Rao, Gangula Kamalakar and Sabitha Indra Reddy also paid their last respects to the departed folk singer at the latter’s residence in Gurramguda. Harish Rao too broke down on seeing the mortal remains of Saichand earlier in the day.