The AP Assembly on Tuesday paid rich tributes to its sitting member and minister for industries Mekapati Gowtham Reddy, who died of cardiac arrest on February 21, 2022.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy moved a resolution in the Assembly on the second day of the budget session proposing homage to the late minister.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he had lost a personal friend in the death of Gowtham Reddy.

He said Gowtham Reddy had been a strong supporter for him right from the beginning, even when he was not in active politics.

The chief minister said that he would include Udayagiri area of Nellore district in the first phase of the Veligonda project as a tribute to his friend and colleague Gowthm Reddy.

The ruling YSR Congress members and the opposition TDP members spoke recalling their association with the late minister and paid rich tributes to the departed soul.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he would stand by the family in the hour of crisis and would always remember Gowtham Reddy.

He said Goutham had won as MLA for two times and successfully handled six departments in the cabinet which include, Industries, Infrastructure and Investment, IT and Electronics, Handlooms and Textiles, Sugar Industries and Skill Development and added that he also attended Dubai Expo recently and used to send daily updates of the meetings held in Dubai regarding investments.

The Chief Minister remembered the efforts of Goutham Reddy in making industries like Century Plywood, Sri Cements, Sun Pharma, Aditya Birla Group, Adani group come to the state