HYDERABAD: Peddayana is no more. A perfect Telugu man, who was always attired in traditional pancha (dhoti) and kanduva, Konijeti Rosaiah was known as a clean and spotless politician.
Loved by all and hated by none, the 88-year-old late Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh towered over the political arena with his balanced persona.
Known as ajatasatruvu (one who has no enemies), Rosaiah was respected in all quarters, his own partymen and Opposition leaders alike. Hence, the affectionate sobriquet Peddayana. Rosaiah was known for his razor sharp wit and logic. He knew how to wriggle out of difficult political situations and many chief ministers relied on his valuable advice. He never displeased his bosses, particularly CMs under whom he worked. Rosaiah always loyal to the Congress and more so to the Gandhi family.
Born in a middle-class family in the Vysya caste, which isn’t numerically strong in politics, Rosaiah started his public career as a student of Political Training School in Nidubrolu in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. The school was run by freedom fighter and parliamentarian NG Ranga.
Earlier, Rosaiah worked as a personal assistant to Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu. He considered NG Ranga his guru and continued the legacy of both Ranga and Prakasam Pantulu in politics by sticking to Gandhian values till he breathed his last.
He was first elected to the Legislative Council in 1968. But, he was never a mass leader and did not indulge in faction politics. He also steered clear of group politics which Congress is known for. It is therefore surprising that Rosaiah held his own despite the culture of groupism.
While none could question his humility and loyalty, Rosaiah wasn’t one to shy away in criticising opponents in colloquial style, with punch-filled dialogues. When Rosaiah was part of the Reddy Congress (a breakaway faction of the grand old party), he criticised the Channa Reddy government in such style that the latter lured him back to the Congress.
A non-controversial leader, Rosaiah’s USP was that he was accommodative and could get along with any Chief Minister. He was an MLC in 1968, 1974, 1980 and 2009, and elected as an MLA twice from Chirala. He was also a one-time MP from Narasaraopet. He served as Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief from 1994-1996. Congress won 25 Lok Sabha seats in 1996 when he was PCC chief.
When asked by scribes as to when he would be CM, Rosaiah used to remark: “I have no support of caste. I have no separate group in the party. Who will offer me the CM’s post?”
However, a turn of circumstances elevated him to the coveted post when the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy died in a chopper crash in September, 2009. But, it took almost 89 days for the Congress Legislature Party to elect him as his leader. This was the longest ever wait for any CM in the country.
Always a loyalist
After serving as the Chief Minister for 14 months, the Congress high command summoned Rosaiah to Delhi and asked him to resign. Rosaiah, a trusted loyalist, put in his papers without any hesitation. This loyalty helped him bag the post of Tamil Nadu Governor. He gained much respect even in Tamil Nadu.
When he stepped into the Chennai airport to assume charge as Governor, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa along with her entire Cabinet members went to the airport to receive Rosaiah. This was a rare welcome for any Governor in the country.
Jayalalithaa used to call Rosaiah Ayyagaru. Later, when Jayalalithaa was facing the disproportionate assets case, Rosaiah was instrumental in administering the oath by the successor of Jayalalithaa, O Paneerselvam. Since he always functioned as per the Constitution, the Modi government continued Rosaiah as Governor till his term expired. All other Governors, appointed during the UPA government, were replaced by the Narendra Modi government.
Mum on AP bifurcation
As a youth leader, Rosaiah participated in the Jai Andhra movement. Later, he moved to Hyderabad and settled down here. He always lived in a not so posh building at Dharam Karan Road, Ameerpet. Just three months after he became Chief Minister, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao announced an indefinite fast for a separate Telangana state.
Union Minister P Chidambaram issued a midnight statement in December, 2009 that a separate Telangana would be delivered. However, Rosaiah told his close aides that he was not involved in the process and the Congress high command never consulted him. Some Congress leaders brought pressure on Rosaiah to either support United Andhra Pradesh and or separate Telangana. However, Rosaiah never expressed his feelings and left the choice to the Congress high command. Perhaps, he is the only leader in the Congress who said nothing on the separate statehood agitation.
Never a biased leader
In Channa Reddy Cabinet, Rosaiah along with Chengareddy, JC Diwakar Reddy and DK Samarasimha Reddy, was known as “dusta chatustayam” (four wicked persons). The strength of Rosaiah is that he was not a biased leader and always presented facts as they were, to the high command.
‘Signing machine’
When CM Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy sanctioned medical Colleges indiscriminately, Rosaiah was holding Finance and Medical and Health portfolios. At that time, the High Court even remarked that Rosaiah was a “signing machine”.
The strong-worded political comments against the then TDP government by Rosaiah as an Opposition leader in the Legislative Council finally led to the abolishment of the Council by the then Chief Minister NT Rama Rao.
Love for fine arts
Rosaiah had a tremendous love for fine arts and the Telugu language. He attended thousands of cultural programmes. He used to attend almost all cultural programmes in the city. Much like his spotless dhoti, Rosaiah always remained an unblemished and non-corrupt politician.
‘I’m no backstabber’
On another occasion, TDP members heckled Rosaiah in Assembly that he had became a “clever politician”. Then CM Rosaiah retorted, “If I was indeed that clever, I would have back-stabbed Chief Ministers like M Channa Reddy and K Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy”. This satire was an attack on Chandrababu Naidu, who is accused of backstabbing his father-in-law and CM NT Rama Rao.
Only non-Reddy Congress CM
Rosaiah is the first and only non-Reddy Chief Minister after 1978. The Congress always preferred Reddys as CMs. But, after the demise of YSR, the Congress high command handed over the mantle to Rosaiah, a non-controversial man. Later, things went wrong, the Congress again reverted back to its old habit.
Critics will see Rosaiah’s 14-month regime as the beginning of the downfall of the Congress in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
The son-in-law jibe
An extremely talented politician, Rosaiah was a good orator and had a gift of the gab. He was known for his repartee. When he was Chief Minister, his son-in-law was caught playing rummy in Visakhapatnam, which led to a heated debate in the Assembly. At that time, TDP members targeted Rosaiah’s son-in-law. After a half-an-hour debate, Rosaiah rose from his seat and said: “God has not given either me or N T Rama Rao good sons-in-law.” This was an indirect attack on TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who is NTR’s son-in-law
Strong push for Metro Rail project
Rosaiah’s role in ‘fructification’ of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project was lauded by HMRL MD NVS Reddy. Recalling that the ‘Concession Agreement’ was signed by him in the presence of Rosaiah, when he was the CM (2010), NVS Reddy recalled that he was very supportive of the project. “As FM in YSR Cabinet & later as CM, he gave his whole-hearted support to the project. After L&T won the project, he wrote to Sonia Gandhi about the uniqueness of Hyderabad metro as a first of its kind PPP Metro Rail project of this magnitude in the world,” he recalled
Many posts, many accolades
When Rosaiah spent the night in Secretariat
As Chief Minister, Rosaiah spent the whole night in his chambers in the Secretariat during the floods on October 2/3 night in 2009. He monitored the situation that arose due to incessant rains. Unlike other CMs, Rosaiah continued to stay put in the Secretariat and monitored the situation continuously with the officials
YSR’s first choice as FM
When Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy was Chief Minister, he sent a delegation of Ministers led by Rosaiah to lodge a complaint against the then MP YS Rajasekhara Reddy to the high command. However, when Rajasekhara Reddy became Chief Minister, his first choice for Finance Minister was Rosaiah. It may be recalled that when Rajasekhara Reddy, as a young leader, contested first time for the LS from Kadapa, Roasiah as a senior party leader and MLC campaigned in Kadapa for YSR’s victory.