Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Assembly condoles Sajjad's death

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Sept. 22. The monsoon session of the Assembly began this morning, adopting a condolence motion on the demise recently of Syed Sajjad of the MIM.

The motion, proposed by the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was the only item transacted for the day, and the Speaker, K. Pratibha Bharati, adjourned the House soon after to meet tomorrow.

Sayed Sajjad, whose political career spanned over 15 years and who symbolised the aspirations and problems of people in the old city of Hyderabad, especially minorities, drew sympathy and rich tributes from all parties. Speakers, especially the Chief Minister, were particularly concerned at the tragic circumstances in which he died, with the legislator avoiding diabetes tests amidst political tensions.

The Chief Minister and the Speaker mentioned that Sayed Sajjad was only 52 and is survived by his wife and six children, three of them daughters, all unmarried. The MIM floor leader, Asaduddin Owaisi, pleaded for naming degree and junior colleges in the constituency after the departed leader. There was no response from the Government on this perhaps due to the election code in force due to the coming by-election for the constituency.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu referred to Sajjad entering the Assembly from Asifnagar in 1989 and continuing to represent the same seat again in 1999, and said he was pained that the death cut short his career at a time when they were thinking that he would have a glorious future. Sajjad had a humble beginning, eking out a living from a small business at Bahadurpura before contesting the elections.

The Leader of the Opposition, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said Sajjad's concern for people was such that he was always "agressive" in his projection of the problems and he was "secular cent per cent.'' His death caused a void.

The BJP leader, K. Haribabu, said, he used to sit by Mr Sajjad's side in the House and one quality was that he was a "livewire".

Mr. Owaisi termed Sajjad "a brave soldier" of his party and said, he had enjoyed "good following" even from among SCs/STs/BCs in his area. He kept himself so busy with people's problems that he found no time even to undergo angiogram test.

Among others who paid tributes were the Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, K. Chandrasekhara Rao of the TRS and N. Narasimhaiah of the CPI(M).

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