Hyderabad: Konijeti Rosaiah, former Chief Minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh has passed away on Saturday morning. He was 88. He served as the 15th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2009 to 2010. Rosaiah became Chief Minister on September 3, 2009, following the death of incumbent Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
According to reports, his family members shifted him to hospital after his pulse rate dropped in the morning and doctors declared him brought dead.
Rosaiah was born on July 4, 1933 in Vemur village of Guntur district in Madras Presidency. He was first time elected as MLC to AP Legislative Council in 1968.
Rosaiah also served as the Governor of Karnataka for two months and the Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2011 to 2016. He was previously a Congress MLC, MLA and MP numerous times and handled many ministerial posts over his long political career spanning over half a century.
Leaders mourn Rosaiah's demise
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao expressed sympathies over the death of Rosaiah, an official release said.
Rao recalled Rosaiah as the leader who brought laurels to the posts he held and is known for his patience, gentleness and simplicity.
The CM has conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family.
Several Congress leaders including TPCC Chief Revanth Reddy expressed condolences.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu and a host of others on Saturday expressed profound grief over the demise of Konijeti Rosaiah, who served as the CM of the then united AP.
“I pray for rest to his soul and offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members,” the Governor said in a message.
The Chief Minister said he was deeply pained by news of Rosaiah's death.
“In his long political career, Rosaiah rendered yeoman services as a legislator, minister, parliamentarian, Chief Minister and Governor. His death is a deep loss to the two Telugu states,” Reddy said in a statement.
Chandrababu Naidu described Rosaiah as a good administrator and an economic expert.
“From a student leader, Rosaiah rose in ranks to become a state Governor. He remained non-controversial throughout his political career," Naidu observed and recalled his long association with the veteran leader.
Jana Sena Party president K Pawan Kalyan noted that Rosaiah had been a blemish-less political leader.
“He was a personification of values. He left a distinct mark as a member first of the Legislative Council and later the Legislative Assembly and Parliament. His rich political experience and wisdom will always be remembered,” Kalyan said.
Expressing grief over Rosaiah's demise, former Speaker of the Assembly Nadendla Manohar recalled the former led the then united state with adroit acumen when it was passing through testing times.
AP Congress Committee president Sake Sailajanath, state BJP president Somu Veerraju, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghatan Vice-Chairman Vishnuvardhan Reddy and several others mourned Rosaiah's death.
