Nara Ramamurthy Naidu, younger brother of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and former MLA, passed away on Saturday, November 16 at the age of 72 in Hyderabad. He was battling prolonged cardio-respiratory problems.

AIG Hospitals, where Ramamurthy Naidu was admitted three days prior, announced his death at 12.45 pm stating that he suffered a cardiac arrest and asystole (flatline) despite medical intervention. He was initially hospitalized on November 14 with cardiac arrest but was revived after an hour of CPR.

He is survived by his wife Indira and sons Nara Rohit and Nara Girish. His last rites will be conducted on November 17 in his native village, Naravaripalle, in Chittoor district.

An agriculturist and businessman by profession, Ramamurthy Naidu served as an MLA representing the Chandragiri constituency from 1994 on a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket. His relationship with his elder brother became strained after the TDP leadership distanced themselves from him following his defeat in the 1999 Assembly elections. He joined the Congress in 2003 but was sidelined and became inactive. Though he later returned to the TDP, he remained away from active politics due to declining health.

CM Chandrababu Naidu returned to Hyderabad from New Delhi on Saturday night. His son and Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh is already at the hospital. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed his condolences to the family, praying to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give comfort to the bereaved family members. Chandrababu Naidu’s sister-in-law and Andhra Pradesh BJP chief Daggubati Purandeswari, her husband Daggubati Venkateswara Rao and other members of the Nandamuri family visited the hospital.