Visakhapatnam, Former Minister and YSR Congress Party leader Panumatsa Sambasiva Raju passed away at a Corporate hospital due to illness here on Monday.He was 87 and is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.Raju, who is suffering from health ailments for the past few days, was admitted to Apollo hospital where he breathed his last while undergoing treatment this morning.He was first elected as MLA in 1968.Later he won as an MLA from Gajapatinagar and Sativada Assembly constituencies in Vizianagaram district for eight times in a row in United Andhra Pradesh.He served the Congress party for a long time.
Raju was a Minister in Congress government headed by Chief Ministers Marri Chenna Reddy, Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy and Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy from 1989 to 1994. He is said to be the political guru of AP Minister Botsa Satyanarayana.