Amaravati, May 28 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that party founder and former chief minister N. T. Rama Rao had dedicated his life to free the state from poverty, and for the glory of Telugu people.

The former chief minister on Tuesday paid rich tributes to NTR on his 101st birth anniversary.

Sharing his thoughts on 'X', Naidu recalled the services of the actor-turned-politician, who had floated TDP in 1982 on the slogan of Telugu self-respect.

Chandrababu Naidu, who is the son-in-law of NTR, termed him an inspiration and glory of the Telugu people.

Discipline, perseverance, sincerity and a desire to do good to the people shaped an ordinary farmer's son Taraka Rama Rao into a great leader, the TDP chief said.

NTR, who firmly believed that society is a temple and people are gods, initiated the welfare regime for the first time in the country by establishing TDP, he said.

NTR not only stated that the meaning of power is to give food, clothes and shelter to the poor but demonstrated this. Along with welfare, he paved the way for development and governance reforms.

The TDP chief said that by taking governance to the doorsteps of people, NTR also showed that a ruler is their servant. NTR, who worked with the sole aim of people's progress, became a close friend of people of all sections.

Chandrababu Naidu called for a resolve to take every step for the sake of people to realise the ambition of NTR.

Meanwhile, former Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has also paid tributes to NTR. He described the late leader as the heartbeat of the Telugu people and a symbol of Telugu self-respect.

Venkaiah Naidu recalled that after becoming a household name with his acting skills and by playing the legendary characters, NTR started a new era and changed the very face of the country's politics.

The former Vice President called NTR a great nationalist who stood against autocratic politics and planted the seeds of an alternative political system in the country, and became a guide and earned the laurels as a great leader.

Venkaiah Naidu said NTR was a great reformer who brought many revolutionary changes including the right to property for women and decentralisation of power.

/IANS