Kadapa, Sep 2 : Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and State Congress chief Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday paid tributes to their father and former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) on his 16th death anniversary.

Accompanied by his mother Y. S. Vijayamma, wife Y. S. Bharathi and other family members, Jagan Mohan Reddy laid a wreath on the late leader's grave at YSR Ghat at Idupulapaya in YSR Kadapa district.

The family also participated in special prayers conducted by religious leaders.

Senior YSRCP leaders, former and present public representatives, party cadre, and admirers also laid floral wreaths and remembered the late leader with deep respect, acknowledging his enduring legacy as a welfare provider and architect of development.

"Missing you much," Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote on 'X'. He also posted an old photograph with the late leader.

YSR's daughter and state Congress president Sharmila also paid tributes to the late leader at his grave. Vijayamma was also present on the occasion.

Sharmila was accompanied by her son, daughter-in-law and other family members.

Paying her tributes, Sharmila said YSR had a wonderful life and God used him in a great way. She stated that even after 16 years of his death, YSR remains in the hearts of the people.

"YSR's photo is still worshipped next to the idols of God. Great schemes like Arogya Sri, free electricity, and fee reimbursement were born from the heart of YSR. There is no Telugu house which has not benefited from these schemes," said Sharmila.

She recalled that when YSR died, 700 people died of heartbreak because they could not digest the pain. She also paid respects to them.

YSR was the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. The Congress leader died in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009, a few months after he led the Congress party to its second consecutive electoral victory.

Jagan, who was then the Congress MP, later parted ways with Congress and floated the YSR Congress Party.

Sharmila and Jagan Mohan Reddy have been separately attending YSR's birth and death anniversary events at YSR Ghat ever since differences cropped up between them after he became the Chief Minister in 2019.

YSR Congress suffered a crushing defeat in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections last year.

Sharmila, who is trying to claim the legacy of YSR, became president of the state Congress early last year after merging the YSR Telangana Party with the Congress.

/IANS