Hyderabad, May 29 -- Senior Congress leader and former minister of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, Gade Venkata Reddy, passed away at his residence here on Friday.

He was 81.

A veteran politician with a career spanning several decades, Gade Venkata Reddy played a prominent role in Andhra Pradesh politics and was widely respected across party lines for his administrative experience and public service.

Born into a political family, he emerged as one of the influential leaders from the coastal Andhra region and served as a five-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), representing the Parchur and Bapatla constituencies.

During his long political career, he held several important ministerial portfolios in successive Congress gove...