Hyderabad: The final journey of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, the man who revived the Congress party's fortunes in Andhra Pradesh, and whom the Prime Minister described as the mascot of governance, will take place on Friday.
YSR will be laid to rest at 5 pm in his native constituency of Pulivendula in Cudappa district with full state honours, and in accordance with Christian rites.
But before the burial, his body has been taken to a stadium in Hyderabad where thousands have paid tributes to the leader. The body will be taken to Pulivendula for people to pay homage.
YSR and four others - the state Principal Secretary, the Chief Security Officer and two pilots, died when the helicopter they were travelling in crash landed on a hill top not far from Kurnool district.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have reached Hyderabad to meet Dr Reddy's family and remain with them for some time before returning to Delhi. They, along with some Cabinet Ministers, paid tribute to the leader.
The Chief Minister's body will be kept for public homage at Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium from around 9 am.
The Chief Minister's cortege would be taken from the Lal Bahadur stadium around 1pm to his home constituency of Pulivendula. His body will be kept at Pulivendula from 3 pm for people to pay homage.
The state funeral will be held in Pulivendulu at 5 pm.
The national flag would be flown at halfmast during the seven-day state mourning and there would be no official entertainment during the period.
All state government offices, schools and colleges in the state will remain closed on Friday.