Chandrababu Naidu, Always A Gentleman!

Former minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Harish Rao is mourning the loss of his father, Thanneeru Satyanarayana, who passed away this morning. His body was kept at Krins Villas in Hyderabad, and the last rites were performed at Mahaprasthanam, Filmnagar, on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite the sharp political rivalry between BRS and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), leaders across party lines have expressed condolences. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently overseeing Cyclone Montha relief operations, took to X to convey his sympathy to Harish Rao. Nara Lokesh also shared a condolence message.

The gesture from Naidu comes despite years of political hostility. The BRS has long built its political stance opposing TDP, often criticising Naidu and his leadership. During Naidu’s arrest in 2023, BRS leaders had mocked the incident, and protests supporting him were handled harshly by the then Telangana government.

However, Naidu has chosen to maintain political decorum. After his 2024 election win, he even visited K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) in the hospital when the former Chief Minister fractured his hip, wishing him a quick recovery.

Harish Rao’s father, Satyanarayana, was married to Lakshmi, KCR’s seventh sister. As a mark of respect, the BRS has suspended its campaign in Jubilee Hills for the day.

In a time of deep political divides, such gestures remind that humanity must stand above politics.