New Delhi, Sep 3 - Political leaders across the spectrum Thursday mourned the death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, hailing him as a 'man of determination, charisma and conviction'.

A pall of gloom descended on Congress party offices headquarters where its flags flew at half mast. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also flew its flag at half mast at its headquarters here.

'It is a tremendous loss. He was a dynamic chief minister. A towering and successful leader of the state and the Congress party,' party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said after the bodies of YSR, as he is popularly known, and four others were found in Kurnool district where their helicopter crashed Wednesday.

'He was very practical. He always wanted to achieve specific goals. He was a man on the move,' she added. 'I am sure there is much more he could have achieved.'

She said party president Sonia Gandhi was in constant touch with YSR's family.

YSR's main political rival, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, told reporters in Hyderabad that beyond political differences, he had great friendship with the deceased chief minister. 'We were very good friends. He was a man of conviction and charisma. I am shocked,' he said.

Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani said in a message: 'I am deeply saddened to know that the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has died in a tragic helicopter accident. I condole his untimely and tragic death.'

Advani added: 'The people of Andhra Pradesh and the country at large have lost a very able and popular leader of (the) masses.'

Condoling Reddy's death, BJP president Rajnath Singh said: 'The sudden death of YSR is an irreparable loss.