Hyderabad: The assembly on Saturday paid rich tributes to Jubilee Hills MLA the late Maganti Gopinath, who passed away in June. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy moved a motion of condolence in the assembly and paid tributes.The assembly monsoon sessions began on Saturday morning and adjourned after passing a condolence resolution on the demise of Gopinath. The CM, while moving the motion, recalled his association with Gopinath and conveyed deep sympathy to the family of the departed leader.Revanth Reddy recalled that the former Jubilee Hills MLA had started his political journey as a student leader with TDP and was president of its youth wing, Telugu Yuvatha, between 1985 and 1992. He was also director of the erstwhile Huda for two years from 1987 to 1988, and president of the district consumer forum. He produced many films while continuing in politics and serving the people. He was elected as MLA from the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency thrice.Recalling his association with Gopinath, the CM said he had good relations and a bond with Gopinath, though he had ideological differences.BRS working president and MLA KT Rama Rao described Gopinath as a mass leader, though he looked like a classy and rich person. He said the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency has many slums, contrary to the popular perception that the constituency is a ‘rich’ people’s constituency. KTR said locals called him ‘Gopanna’ and he introduced the tradition of distributing Bathukamma sarees to young women before the scheme was launched in the state by the then BRS govt officially.Ministers D Sridhar Babu, Tummala Nageshwara Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar, MLAs Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Vemula Prashant Reddy, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, and BJP MLA Venkata Ramana Reddy recalled their association with Gopinath and also his services to the people of his assembly constituency. They said he was an ardent fan of NT Rama Rao, joined politics to serve the people, and continued it till his last breath.
