Sunnam Rajaiah — former Bhadrachalam MLA, senior CPI (M) leader and Girijana Sangam leader — reportedly died of COVID-19 in the wee hours on August 4, 2020. He was 68 years old.
He died while being shifted from the Indian city of Hyderabad to a COVID-19 Hospital in Vijayawada. He is survived by wife and two sons and two daughters.
A native of Sunnamvaari Gudem village, V.R. Puram mandal, in East Godavari district, Mr. Rajaiah served as Bhadrachalam MLA for three times.
He participated in many tribal agitations, protecting tribal lands and their rights in the Agency areas in Bhadrachalam, East and West Godavari districts.
The three-time MLA also participated in many agitations in CPI (M). The AP Girijana Sangam, Adivasi Sankshema Sangam and leaders of other organizations expressed grief over the demise of Mr. Rajaiah.
He had won from the Bhadrachalam constituency in 1999, 2004 and 2014. He contested from Rampachodavaram Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh in the last Assembly elections unsuccessfully.