Hyderabad, Dec 23 (IANS): Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi Tuesday paid his last respects to veteran Congress leader and former union minister G. Venkatswamy, who died Monday evening after prolonged illness.

Gandhi flew in from Delhi and drove straight to Panjagutta crematorium, where Venkatswamy was cremated with state honours.

The Congress leader consoled Venkatswamy's sons G. Vinod, G. Vivekanand and other family members.

Besides Rahul Gandhi, former union minister S. Jaipal Reddy and several party leaders participated in the last rites.

A posse of policemen presented a gun salute as a mark of respect as his son lit the funeral pyre.

Scores of relatives, friends and Congress workers bid a tearful adieu to the inspiring leader, who passed away at the age of 85.

Earlier, the body of 'Kaka', as Venkatswamy was popularly known as, was kept at the Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of the Congress party to enable party leaders and workers to pay homage.

In the morning, the chief ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and the leaders of various political parties from both the states paid their last respects. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu paid homage to the leader at his residence in Somajiguda here.

Both the leaders laid wreaths on the mortal remains of Venkatswamy and consoled his family members.

Several ministers from both the states, including YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Rajya Sabha member K. Chiranjeevi, and other leaders of the Congress party from both states also paid tribute to the man.

The veteran leader had served as a minister in the cabinets of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Narasimha Rao.

The Dalit leader was elected to the Lok Sabha for seven terms and was also a member of the Congress Working Committee.