PM to Sonia,Advani to Naidu: all turn up to bid YSR farewell

The Chief Minister was buried with full state honours,very near to the graves of his parents in his 300-acre estate. This was the way he wanted it.

The four-lane road being laid to this village was to be inaugurated by the man who had given its residents hope and made them dream of a better future. But Y S Rajasekhara Reddy didnt live to see its completion,killed in a helicopter crash in the jungles of Nallamala two days ago. Today,the same road was swamped by a sea of humanity as people trudged miles to have one last glimpse of their leader.

The Chief Minister was buried with full state honours,very near to the graves of his parents in his 300-acre estate. This was the way he wanted it he had even mentioned it to his family several times.

But before he was laid to rest at Idupulapaya,his home in Kadapa,people from across Andhra Pradesh came to bid YSR a final farewell as his body was taken from his residence in Hyderabads Begumpet to the state Congress headquarters and then to the Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,Congress president Sonia Gandhi,Leader of Opposition L K Advani,AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi,TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu were among those who paid homage.

When his body was flown to Idupulapaya,there was a scramble as everyone tried to get a final glimpse of YSR. Even his family members could not have a quiet moment when the coffin was lowered into the grave.

Though YSR was born in Pulivendla 50 km away,he had made Idupulapaya his home. This estate also has an eco-park,a peacock farm,teak plantations and multiple crops. It is here that Idupulapaya residents,beneficiaries of YSRs schemes and projects,find work. Now they say their leader will be with them forever.

YSRs son Jaganmohan (36),the cynosure of all eyes against the backdrop of a succession race for the Chief Ministers post,was composed with hands folded,acknowledging the mourners,many of whom raised slogans. But his wife Vijayalakshmi and daughter Sharmila were inconsolable as they sprinkled earth after the coffin was lowered into the grave.

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Meanwhile,a joint team of DGCA officials and the police today located the flight voice recorder of YSRs helicopter that crashed. The DGCA team visited Kurnool and took the debris from local police and revenue officials,said officials in Hyderabad. The team will go to the crash site in the Nallamala forest tomorrow for an on-the-spot inquiry.

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