Konijeti Rosaiah

Konijeti Rosaiah (4 July 1933 – 4 December 2021) was an Indian politician who served as the 15th chief minister of United Andhra Pradesh from 2009 to 2010.[1][2][3] He also served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2011 to 2016 and the Governor of Karnataka (additional charge) for two months. He was previously an MLC, MLA and MP from the Indian National Congress numerous times and handled many ministerial posts over his long political career spanning over half a century.

In this Telugu name, the surname is Konijeti.

Konijeti Rosaiah
13th Governor of Tamil Nadu
In office
31 August 2011 – 30 August 2016
Chief MinisterJ. Jayalalithaa,
O. Panneerselvam
Preceded bySurjit Singh Barnala
Succeeded byC. Vidyasagar Rao (Additional charge)
Governor of Karnataka
(Additional Charge)
In office
28 June 2014 – 31 August 2014
Chief MinisterSiddaramaiah
Preceded byH. R. Bhardwaj
Succeeded byVajubhai Vala
15th Chief Minister of United Andhra Pradesh
In office
3 September 2009 – 24 November 2010
Preceded byY. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Succeeded byNallari Kiran Kumar Reddy
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
10 March 1998 – 26 April 1999
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded byKota Saidiah
Succeeded byNedurumalli Janardhana Reddy
ConstituencyNarasaraopet
Personal details
Born(1933-07-04)4 July 1933
Vemuru, Madras Presidency, British India Present Day (Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India)
Died4 December 2021(2021-12-04) (aged 88)
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Political partyIndian National Congress (until 2011)
Spouse
Konijeti Sivalakshmi
​
​
(m. 1950)​
Children4

While serving as Governor of Tamil Nadu, he was also given additional responsibility as Governor of Karnataka when Governor H. R. Bhardwaj's term ended on 28 June 2014,[4][5] until Vajubhai Vala took over on 1 September 2014. After completing his five-year term as Governor of Tamil Nadu, he retired from active politics.

Early life

Konijeti Rosaiah was born into a Telugu-speaking, middle-class Hindu Gavara Komati Vaishya family in Vemuru, Tenali mandal, present day Guntur District, in Andhra Pradesh. He graduated from Guntur Hindu College, Andhra University in Commerce.[6] While he was studying in Guntur, he was elected as the student leader and thus entered into politics. He studied at Zilla Parishad High School.[7]

Political career

Rosaiah began as a political disciple of Swatantra Party leader and independence activist N.G. Ranga.[8][9] He was elected as MLC in 1968, 1974, 1980 and 2009 and as an MLA in 1989 and 2004 from Chirala assembly constituency. In 1998, he was elected as MP from Narasaraopet. In the year 2011 he was sworn in as Governor of Tamil Nadu.[8] During his long political career he interacted and worked closely with most of the Prime Ministers of India, including Jawaharlal Nehru.

Ministerial portfolios held

As APCC President

Rosaiah was the President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) from 1994 to 1996.

As Finance Minister

Rosaiah presented the state budget 16 times, including 7 times in a row, a record in the country.[9] He was a finance minister under Marri Chenna Reddy, Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy and Y. S. Rajashekhara Reddy. As Finance Minister in Chenna Reddy's cabinet, he ensured teachers received retirement benefits. Rosaiah is well known for adhering to strict fiscal management principles and effective mobilization & utilization of government funds. His contribution to the state as its longest serving finance minister is well recognized.

As Chief Minister

Rosaiah took over as the Chief Minister after the death of Y. S. Rajashekhara Reddy. In his tenure, Konijeti strived to bring political stability to the state and continue all the welfare programs planned and initiated by his predecessor. He is often credited with the effective management of the flood situation during October 2009, the law and order situation with respect to the Telangana agitation which started in December 2010, effective budgetary management, streamlining of the delivery systems of welfare programs etc. He submitted his resignation as Chief Minister to the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, ESL Narasimhan on 24 November 2010 citing health reasons.[10]

Political History

As per the Information submitted to Parliament Office, as Member of Parliament of 12th Lok Sabha the following positions were held by him:[6]

1968-85 Member, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council

1979-83 Minister, Roads and Buildings, Housing, Transport and Home, Andhra Pradesh

1989-94 Member, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Minister, Finance and Transport, Andhra Pradesh

1992-93 Leader of House, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly

1998 Elected to 12th Lok Sabha

1998-99 Member, Committee on Industry and Member, Library Committee and Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

He retired from active politics in August 2016, after completion of his term as Governor of Tamil Nadu.[11] His political career lasted around 60 years.

Honours

Andhra University conferred Rosaiah with an honorary doctorate in 2007.[12]

Personal life

He was married on 4 June 1950 to Smt Sivalakshmi.[6] He has 3 sons and 1 daughter.[8] His sons are KS Subba Rao and KSN Murthy and daughter is P Rama Devi. His socio-cultural activities include helping the under-privileged. He was also a good orator.[8] He was also member of the spices board in the year 1998. His professions include agriculturist, trader and industrialist.[6]

Rosaiah died on 4 December 2021 at the age of 88 in Hyderabad, Telangana after a brief illness.[13] The Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Government of Telangana observed a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to him.[14] He was cremated with full state honours at his farmhouse in Kompally on 5 December 2021.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Rosaiah takes oath as caretaker Andhra CM". The Times of India. 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  2. "Konijeti Rosaiah appointed the new Tamil Nadu Governor". Indiavision news. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  3. "Rosaiah - A low profile leader".
  4. Mariappan, Julie (27 June 2014). "Tamil Nadu Governor Rosaiah given additional charge of Karnataka".
  5. "Rosaiah named new Tamil Nadu governor, Farook shifted to Kerala". The Times of India. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  6. "Biographical Sketch of Member of 12th Lok Sabha". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  7. "Former AP CM, ex-TN Guv K Rosaiah passes away". United News of India.
  8. "Rosaiah sworn in as Tamil Nadu governor". Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  9. Kumar, S. Nagesh (8 September 2009). "Focus shifts to governance, Rosaiah takes full charge". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  10. Kumar, S. Nagesh (24 November 2010). "Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah resigns". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  11. CH V. M. Krishna, Rao (1 September 2016). "Konijeti Rosaiah retires after an epic 60 years in politics". Deccan Chronicle. Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  12. "Rosaiah sworn in as Andhra CM". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  13. Reddy, Ravikanth; Jonathan, P. samuel (4 December 2021). "Former Chief Minister of unified Andhra Pradesh K. Rosaiah passes away". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
  14. Bandari, Pavan Kumar (5 December 2021). "Telangana: Last rites of Konijeti Rosaiah to be held today in Hyderabad with state honours". The Hans India. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  15. "Thousands bid farewell to Rosaiah". Deccan Chronicle. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
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