Nandiraju Radhakrishna
Konijeti Rosaiah, is former Chief Minister of combined Andhra Pradesh. He was known to be Chanakya in Telugu politics. Although, being a very loyal worker in the Congress party, Rosaiah’s political career was started as a member of the Swatantra party and admirer of late Acharya N G Ranga.
Being a statesman, a centre point, he never aspired to any office. He was not overwhelmed by any position. He did justice to the position he got. He never faced a single allegation of corruption during his long six decades of his political career.
Having lived a full life of 88 years, he has received the appreciation of one and all irrespective of political parties and has done justice to his duties everywhere by holding many positions from student movements to governorship.
Despite his age, till the end, he used to give suitable advice to anyone who came and asked. He was good at hammering every side with sarcasm. He stands for honesty. Regardless of the status or position, he has made a special effort to preserve cultural traditions and Telugu language! He gave priority to the cultural sector by attending whenever possible musical, literary and cultural programs organized by the four pillars of Telugu land. His was a metallic tone.
He was close to late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. After his death he served as the Chief Minister of the joint Andhra Pradesh but could not continue in office for long. Later he served as Governor of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Konijeti Rosaiah was a political stalwart who was recognized as one of the most talented and important leaders in the politics of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He came out as Commerce graduate from The Hindu College, Guntur. His political career spanned more than 60 years. He married Shivalakshmi in 1950. He has three sons and one daughter.
Rosaiah was elected MLC in 1968, 1974, 1980 and 2009. In 1989 and 2004, he won as MLA from Chirala constituency. In 1978-79, he acted as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council. In his political career, he held the responsibilities of Minister of R&B, Housing, Transport, Home, Finance, Planning and Assembly Affairs.
His speeches in the Assembly and the Legislative Council were occasionally used to bully the opposition parties. From 1994 to 1996, Rosaiah also served as the President of the APCC. In 1998, Rosaiah was elected as MP from Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency.
He held different ministries during the tenure of Chief Ministers Marri Chenna Reddy, Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy and YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Andhra University presented him with an honorary doctorate in 2007. He served as the 15th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from September 3, 2009 to November 24, 2010.
The respectable elderly and towering political personality never changed the colour of the scarf. He wore traditional Telugu dress, white khaadi dhoti, white khadi lalchi and uttariyam. An era has ended in Andhra Pradesh Congress. When he was 88 years old, breathed his last after a brief illness on 4th December 2021.
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