It is in midst of separate Telangana moment. The state was slowly heading towards turmoil but the then Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy seemed to have everything under control and the agitations for separate Telangana state was being mellowed down. While this was the situation, the unexpected and sudden death of YSR brought in confusion to the state governance and politics. And the man Friday for the situation was none other than Congress’ veteran Konijeti Rosaiah!
Rosaiah YSR
Despite stalwarts in Congress party, the top leadership thought it was apt to hand over the reins of the state to experienced and trust worthy politician K Rosaiah and the veteran leader lived up to the expectations of the party and saw through the state in the situation of turmoil and confusion.
Dr YSR, headed to Chittoor to attend a public meeting in a helicopter on September 2, 2009. The copter went missing in Nallamala forest. Immediately, Rosaiah swung into action and sat through all the process at Secretariat. Later by the end of the day, he announced through the media that the helicopter carrying YSR was missing and made an open appeal to the people to search for their beloved leader. The next day, after the wreckage of the helicopter was found near Pavuralagutta in Kurnool district, Rosaiah was sworn in as the caretaker Chief Minister.
The separate Telangana agitators intensified the stir while Rosaiah was the CM. But undeterred by the pressures, he continued in the post for a year and handed it over to Kiran Kumar Reddy. All through his term has CM; Rosaiah never had any bad remark. He proved that he was seasoned politician and a sincere Congress worker.
Apart from being the CM, Rosaiah had served as MLA, MLC and MP in his six decade long political journey. He was minister in Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, Marru Channa Reddy and YS Rajasekhara Reddy cabinet and was at the helm of important portfolios like energy, finance and transport. A true follower of Gandhian principles, Rosaiah rose to the top as a staunch follower of Congress leader NG
Ranga.
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The veteran Congressman was born in Vemuru village of Guntur district of AP, Rosaiah completed degree from Hindu college in Guntur. He is popular for his oratory skills and was the man for the Congress to take up issues in the state assembly. In fact, it is said that the rival parties would come prepared if the debate was with Rosaiah and still they were never able to compete with the stalwart.
Despite having a long political career and held numerous positions in different cabinets, Rosaiah in popular among the people because he was not involved in any controversy till his death. Such was his track record that he was appointed as Tamil Nadu Governor by Congress led UPDA government, immediately after stepping down as Andhra Pradesh CM, and he was allowed to complete his term till 2016 by NDA government.
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