Former Andhra Pradesh CM Konijeti Rosaiah passes away

Rosaiah had a long stint as finance minister and presented 16 budgets

The former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Konijeti Rosaiah (88) passed away this morning.

A towering figure in the Congress party and united Andhra Pradesh politics, Rosaiah also served as Tamil Nadu governor.

Rosaiah held various portfolios under five different Congress chief ministers beginning with T Anjaiah in 1979. He managed the state finances for a very long time and has presented the budget 15 times, seven of them in a row from 2004 to 2010.

A staunch loyalist to the high command, Rosaiah was made the chief minister in September 2009 following the untimely death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a chopper crash. The Congress party picked him for the post, even as a signature campaign was underway with majority MLAs' support to make Jaganmohan Reddy the CM.

Also Read | Telugu states mourn undivided Andhra's former CM Rosaiah

Rosaiah continued in the post for 14 months. The first-ever announcement to create Telangana was made in December 2009, during his tenure. He faced flak from the Andhra side for not firmly stating opposition to bifurcation.

“I am not a powerful chief minister to put my foot down,” Rosaiah maintained.

In a political landscape dominated by Reddys and Kammas, Rosaiah, hailing from the Arya Vysya, a business community, carved a special niche for himself with hard work, patience and perseverance while endearing himself to everyone with his soft approach and ajathashatru attitude.

Rosaiah promptly relinquished the CM chair when asked by the Congress leadership in November 2010. He was later rewarded for his services especially during a complicated phase and made the governor of Tamil Nadu in August 2011.

Rosaiah maintained a cordial relationship with the then Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa. He was continued as the governor even after the Narendra Modi government took over at the centre in 2014.

Leaving the Chennai Raj Bhavan in August 2016, Rosaiah retired from active politics and was taking rest in his Hyderabad home.

For decades, Rosaiah was the go-to man for many leaders in Congress. Even politicians from other parties used to seek his proficient advice.

Rosaiah was born on 4 July 1933 in Guntur district, AP and began his seven-decade long political journey as a student leader in the Guntur Hindu College. For the most part, he was elected to the upper house as MLC. He became an MP from Narasaraopet Lok Sabha in 1998, after serving as the APCC president from 1995 to 1997. In the 2009 elections, he won from the Chirala assembly constituency and became the finance minister in the YSR cabinet.

Rosaiah was suffering from age-related issues for some time now. He breathed his last on Saturday morning while being taken to a hospital when his pulse went down.

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao paid homage to the departed leader, laying a wreath on Rosaiah's mortal remains at his residence.

“Rosaiah brought laurels to all the posts he has held. He made his mark in politics too with his own style of dignity, patience and gentleness,” Rao said.

AP CM Jaganmohan spoke with the family members over the phone and consoled them. “Rosaiah led an ideal life in politics. His demise is a great loss to the state,” the CM said.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have declared state mourning for three days.

Rosaiah's last rites would be performed on Sunday afternoon in Hyderabad with state honours.

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