Radha unveils Ranga’s bronze statue in Nunna

PNS|Vijayawada

Former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna unveiled the bronze statue of his father and former MLA Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao, along with Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry, former minister and Gudivada MLA Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) and Gannavaram MLA Dr Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, at the Ranga Dimma Centre at Nunna on Sunday.

These four leaders came to Nunna from Vijayawada in the same car to attend the function. Radha Ranga Mitramandali of Nunna welcomed them grandly on the outskirts of the Nunna and took them to the statue point in a procession. MP Balashowry sat in the front seat of his vehicle while MLAs Vamsi, Kodali Nani and former MLA Radhakrishna sat in the back seat.

After unveiling the statue, Radhakrishna addressed the gathering. Youths raised the slogans ‘Johar VM Ranga’ and ‘Zindabad Radha Babu’ before his speech.

He said that he was not interested in earning either income or assets. He said he wanted to be known as as son of Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Rao forever. Even though he died 34 years ago, he was still alive in the hearts of people.

“I am very happy that my father is remembered even after 34 years of his death. As a corporator and an MLA, he worked for the welfare and uplift of poor people. People don’t remember today’s leaders for more than one or two years. I am proud to be the son of Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao,” he said.

Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry said that Vangaveeti Ranga was not an ordinary man. His murder influenced the 1989 elections which the Congress party won. He had a large number of followers irrespective of political parties across the State, he said.

Former minister and Gudivada MLA Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) commented that people were aware of those who planned to murder Mohana Ranga. Mohana Ranga Rao and his son Radhakrishna assumed the Vijayawada East MLA post and focused on serving people. Former MLA Radhakrishna had no house to live in Vijayawada, he said.

He further said that Vangaveeti Radhakrishna was not interested in money or political posts. All he wants is a good name among people. Vangaveeti Ranga and his brother Radha lived for poor people and they faced those who commit illegalities in Vijayawada, he said. Some people planned to murder Ranga when he was on a hunger strike for his protection from the then-State government, he added.

Gannavaram MLA Dr Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan said that Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao lived for 41 years, but he owned a thousand years of name in Vijayawada. He is a poor people’s leader forever, Vamsi added.

Vijayawada Rural Mandal Parishad Chairperson Chennu Prassana Kumari, ZPTC member K Suvarna Raju, Agricultural Advisory Board Chairman Yarkareddy Nagi Reddy, Nunna Sarpanch K Sarala, Ranga’s bronze statue donor Kotte Ravi, Nidamanuru Sarpanch Seelam Ranga Rao, YSRCP leader Angajala Hanuman and others were present.