Remembering Paritala Ravi: Biography And Profile
Paritala Ravindra, more popularly known as Paritala Ravi was a political leader and factionist in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. He was killed by his rivals on 24 January 2005. He was a former cabinet minister during the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime and a TDP sitting MLA when he was slain by his political rivals in 2005. He was elected five times as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Penukonda constituency in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. He produced a film, Sri Ramulayya, based on the biography of his father.
Paritala Ravindra was born into to Sri Ramulu and Narayanamma couple in Venkatapuram, Anantapur district. His father, Paritala Sreeramulu, was a Naxalite leader close to People's War Group supremo Kondapalli Seetharamaiah. That was until G Narayana Reddy, a factionist and Congress MLA, and Sane Chenna Reddy, another factionist who later became a Congress MLA, had Sreeramulu killed in 1975. Ravi was 17 years when his father was killed. Ravi and his brother Paritala Hari escaped that attack.
Paritala Ravi too started as a Naxalite in the footsteps of his father Sriramulayya who donated his lands to poor people and later entered electoral politics by joining the Telugu Desam Party. After his brother Hari too was killed in 1982, Ravi wanted to take shelter to protect himself from his rivals. He went to his maternal uncle, Kondaiah, in Seerpi Kottaala village of Uravakonda constituency to take shelter. He married his uncle's daughter Suneetha in 1986 and took up cultivation.
Later, Ravi wanted to take revenge for his father's and brother's deaths. He joined hands with communists (Naxalites). Ravi was one of the prime accused for the murder of Gangula Narayana Reddy, Narsanna, Yaadi Reddy. After Narayana Reddy was killed, Ramachandra Reddy of the Telugu Desam Party became MLA from Penukonda in 1983 and 1985. In the 1989 elections, the Congress formed the government in the state. Sane Chenna Reddy became MLA of Penukonda by defeating Ramachandra Reddy of the TDP.
People's War Group (P.W.G) expelled Kondapalli Seetharamaiah from the party. He split P.W.G into two. One was P.W.K.S group. Potula Suresh who shot Chenna Reddy was an active member of this group. This group again split into two. One was "Redstar" and other was "Re-Organising committee" (ROC). Potula Suresh was head of ROC and Sudarshan was head of the Redstar. Redstar was favourable to Chenna Reddy's sons and Surya Narayana Reddy. ROC worked for Ravi. There was armed struggle between these two groups and many people were killed as a result of this conflict.
Sane Chenna Reddy, who was conspirator in Ravi's father and brother's deaths was killed in kannumukkala village in 1991. By-elections were conducted and Ramana Reddy, son of Chenna Reddy, became MLA in 1991. With the help of a colleague, he found granite in his field. This was the turning point in his life. Chenna Reddy became rich after this project and eventually the events led to the killing of Paritala Ravi in 2005.
The criminal element in politics of Andhra Pradesh was in full view on January 24, 2005. when hired killers hurl bombs near party office and gunned down the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator Paritala Ravindra. The brutality of the murder, in broad daylight was sensational. According to media all this assassination was planned in Anathapuram jail and major ruling party leaders assisted in executing this. As per media at least 12 attempts are made to assassinate Paritala Ravindra in a span of 10 years which he survived. After his death, his widow Paritala Sunitha became M.L.A from his assembly constituency Penukonda. Film director Ram Gopal Varma's Rakta Charitra movie released in 2010, is based on Paritala Ravi and Maddelacheruvu Suri's life.