Vijayawada: MLC, UTF leader Shaik Sabji dies in road mishap

Vijayawada : Member of Legislative Council member Shaik Sabji died in a road accident in West Godavari district on Friday. The car, in which the MLC was travelling, collided with another car coming from the opposite direction near Cherukuvada village in Undi mandal.

The MLC, as well as his driver, personal assistant, and gunmen were injured in the collision. Sabji, 57, was shifted to a hospital in Bhimavaram where he was declared brought dead.

The accident occurred when the legislator was on his way to Bhimavaram from Eluru to participate in a protest by Anganwadi workers.

Sabji, who was the president of the United Teachers Federation (UTF), was elected to the Legislative Council from the East Godavari-Kakinada-Konaseema-West Godavari-Eluru Teachers constituency in March 2021.

Hailing from Eluru, he was working as a school assistant in a government school before taking voluntary retirement five years ago. He had led a padayatra from Eluru to Vijayawada in 2019 to demand scrapping of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock and grief over the death of Sabji. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members.

The state Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, also condoled the death of the MLC and observed a minute’s silence.

Former chief minister and TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu has also expressed grief over the MLC’s death. He said the MLC spent even the last moments of his life to serve the people.