Hyderabad: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao paid rich tributes to former Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath during a condolence motion in the Assembly on Thursday, describing him as a mass and dynamic leader who dedicated his life to public service.
KTR said he never imagined he would move a condolence resolution for a close associate and Hyderabad BRS president. “Gopinath never spoke about his health. He kept personal matters private but remained highly active in public life,” he said.
KTR recalls Gopinath’s journey from student leader to mass politician
Born in Hyderguda, Gopinath studied at Osmania University before entering politics as a staunch supporter of N.T. Rama Rao. He later became a trusted aide of K. Chandrashekar Rao, working for the party through both successes and struggles.
KTR recalled seeing Gopinath’s cutouts alongside NTR’s at Basheerbagh during his youth. He noted that Gopinath served as MLA three times in a row, a feat not easily achieved. Despite political stature, Gopinath lived modestly in Madhapur with his three young children.
“He developed Jubilee Hills, once seen as an area of slums and bastis, into a better locality. He was known as ‘Gopanna’ in his constituency and stayed close to the people. He even introduced the tradition of distributing sarees during Bathukamma celebrations in his constituency before the state adopted it,” KTR said.
BRS leader hailed as loyal to KCR and people’s welfare
KTR recounted how Gopinath resisted attempts to encroach on a plot in SPR Hills and instead turned it into a ground for festivals and community events. “Whether it was Bathukamma, Ramzan or Christmas, he celebrated with people. He was dynamic, approachable, and deeply loyal to KCR,” KTR said.
Calling his death an irreparable loss to the party and the Jubilee Hills constituency, KTR assured that the BRS would stand firmly with Gopinath’s family.
