Hyderabad: Maganti Gopinath, a Jubilee Hills legislator from the BRS party, died at 5.45 am on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He had been in AIG Hospitals under medical care since June 5. The Telangana government honored him with state rites during the funeral.
Gopinath had also been experiencing kidney issues for some months. Born to Krishnamurthy and Maha Nanda Kumari, he began his political journey with Telugu Desam in 1983.
From 1985 to 1992, he led the Telugu Yuvatha as State President and was a Director at Hyderabad Urban Development Authority in 1987 and 1988. He also chaired the Consumers Forum until 1993 and was the Hyderabad District President for Telugu Desam.
Gopinath was elected to the Assembly in 2014 on a Telugu Desam ticket when the party allied with the BJP. In 2016, he joined the BRS and won again in 2018. He served on the Public Estimates Committee and defeated Mohd Azharuddin in the 2023 elections.
He had a passion for films, producing titles like Patabasti (1995) and Naa Style Veru (2009). He leaves behind his wife Sunitha, son Vatsalyanath, and daughters Akshara Nag and Dishira.
BRS leaders expressed their sorrow over his passing. K Chandrashekar Rao, the BRS chief, visited Gopinath’s home, offering condolences and support to his family. He assured them of the party’s backing.
KCR grew emotional viewing Gopinath’s remains. KT Rama Rao, BRS Working President, his family, and other leaders, including T Harish Rao and MPs KR Suresh Reddy, also paid respects.
KTR emphasized Gopinath’s political rise and three consecutive MLA victories. He praised Gopinath’s dedication to public service and mourned the loss of a respected leader.