Former endowments minister and BJP leader P Manikyala Rao on Saturday succumbed to Covid-19. He was 60.

On July 4, Manikyala Rao posted a video to announce that he had contracted the virus from one of his friends. Subsequently, Rao underwent tests and test results showed he was positive for Covid-19.

For nearly a month, Manikyala Rao was in home isolation at his Tadepalligudem residence. He was later shifted to a hospital in Vijayawada and put on a ventilator as his medical health condition deteriorated.

Manikyala Rao served as endowments minister for four years during the TDP regime between 2014-2018 when the Chandrababu Naidu led party had an alliance with the BJP. Rao quit as minister after the TDP pulled out of the NDA and severed ties with the BJP. He later joined the BJP and was elected as MLA from Tadepalligudem. As a matter of fact, Rao was one of the key contenders for the post of Andhra Pradesh BJP president. He belongs to the dominant Kapu community.

Newly appointed BJP president Somu Veerraju, MP Sujana Chowdhary and several party leaders expressed their condolences at the demise their colleague Manikyala Rao.