Reddy dead in chopper explosion

Hyderabad, Sept 3 (PTI) Chief Minister of India's
southern state of Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajsekhara Reddy, a
charismatic leader who won for his Congress party two
successive spectacular electoral verdicts, was killed when his
helicopter crashed and exploded on a hill in the Nallamala
forest ranges Wednesday.

Also dead in the crash were his Principal Secretary K
Subramanyam, Chief Security Officer A S C Wesley and pilot
Group Captain S K Bhatia and co pilot M S Reddy.

"The chopper hit a cliff of a hillock, crashed and
exploded. All the five persons in the ill-fated helicopter
were burnt to death," state's Finance Minister K Rosaiah and
Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy told a press conference, a
day after the government-owned twin-engined Bell 430 chopper
went missing an hour after take off from here at 0830 hours.

77-year-old Rosaiah, senior Congress party leader and
number two in the Cabinet, is likely to be made the Acting
Chief Minister while the Congress Legislature Party is
expected to meet in the next few days to decide on a successor
to Reddy.

Reddy's body will be kept for public view in Hyderabad
Friday before being taken to his hometown Pulivendla in
Kadapa for last rites Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Congress party President Sonia Gandhi are going to
Hyderabad.

The Union Cabinet, which met in Delhi and condoled his
death, decided to accord a State funeral for him. National
flag will fly half-mast all over the country Thursday and
Friday while Central government offices will remain closed
in Andhra Pradesh Friday. (More) PTI