Hyderabad, June 30 (IANS): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy paid homage to senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member Dharampuri Srinivas who was cremated in Nizamabad with state honours on Sunday.

Several Congress leaders paid their last respects to Srinivas, who passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 76.

The Chief Minister flew to Nizamabad in a helicopter. He visited Srinivas' house and placed a wreath on the mortal remains. He consoled the family members of the senior leader, who headed Congress party and served as a minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Revanth Reddy recalled that as PCC chief, DS, as Srinivas was popularly known, worked hard for Congress to come to power in 2004 and under his leadership, Congress came to power again in 2009.

Srinivas began his political career as a student leader and carved a niche for himself by ascending to the top level in Congress. Even though DS stayed away from the party for a while, Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi used to greet the senior leader warmly in Parliament, the Chief Minister noted.

He said DS' wish to drape the Congress flag over him when he dies is fulfilled.

Former MP V. Hanumantha Rao recalled that Srinivas quit his bank job to dedicate himself to serving people.

Minister P. Srinivas Reddy, MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud, former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir, T. Jeevan Reddy, Sudarshan Reddy and other leaders consoled Srinivas' sons D. Sanjay and D. Arvind.

Sanjay is a former mayor of Nizamabad while Arvind is BJP from Nizamabad.

The Congress leaders recalled the role played by Srinivas in the formation of Telangana state. They said the late leader encouraged several leaders belonging to weaker sections and backward classes.

A large number of leaders and workers cutting across party lines attended the funeral procession.

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