The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Vidyasagar Rao shocked, suspends campaign

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Vidyasagar Rao shocked, suspends campaign

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, APRIL 17. The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, has expressed shock and grief over the sudden death of the film actress, Soundarya, in an aircraft mishap in Karnataka on Saturday.

He told The Hindu over telephone: "The mishap was very unfortunate and we all lost a dynamic and bright film heroine.'' He said she was good actress and had a good fan following in the State and in neighbouring states too.

The Union Minister said that he spoke to Soundarya's brother at around 10.30 a.m., before the ill-fated aircraft took off, to confirm about their expected time of arrival in Basanthnagar aerodrome in Karimnagar. As he was making arrangements to send some leaders to aerodrome to receive her, he received the shocking news about the death of the film actress and others, he said.

Mr. Vidyasagar Rao said that he had fixed the programme with Soundarya for campaign in Karimnagar district after consulting her brother. He said that they had planned several road shows and meetings of Soundarya in Mustabad, Yellareddypet, Sircilla and Karimnagar on April 17 and a series of road shows from Kothapally village on the outskirts of Karimnagar town to Metpally on April 18. He said Soundarya had expressed her willingness to campaign even in Hyderabad city on April 18.

The Union Minister stopped the campaign in his Karimnagar parliamentary constituency on Saturday as a mark of respect to the film actress and converted all the election meetings into condolence meetings. He said would resume the campaign on Sunday, the last day of the campaigning.

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