AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed profound grief over the death of former VMRDA chairman and two-time Vizag MLA Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao who died of coronavirus on Sunday. YS Jagan said that the family of Dronamraju has been playing a significant role in North Andhra politics. He expressed his deepest condolences to the family on the death of Dronamraju.

Party MP in Rajya Sabha Vijayasai Reddy tweeted, "I have no words to express my grief and sorrow over the sudden demise of Sri Dronamraju Srinivas garu. It's a great loss to the party and people of North Andhra. I convey my condolences to the bereaved family members and pray to God to give them courage to face these testing times."

Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. MPs MVV Satyanarayana, Bhishetti Venkata Satyavathi, Goddeti Madhavi, MLAs, party leaders and activists mourned the loss of Srinivasa Rao. Minister Muthamsetti (Avanthi) Srinivasa Rao, MLAs Gudivada Amarnath, Adipraju and party leaders paid tributes to Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao at a condolence meet at the YSRCP office in Visakhapatnam.

Dronamraju Srinivas, son of north Andhra stalwart late Dronamraju Satyanarayana, served the Congress party for a few years. He joined the YSRCP just before the elections in 2019. He contested from Vizag South constituency and emerged victorious in 2019. He was the first chairman of VMRDA which replaced the erstwhile Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authrority by adding about 1,000 sq km area in 2018. Dronamraju Srinavasa Rao's father Satyanarayana was the first chairman of the VUDA.