Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy Explained

Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Office:14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Term Start:14 May 2004[1] [2]
Term End:2 September 2009[3]
Governor:
Subterm:Cabinet
Suboffice:
Predecessor:N. Chandrababu Naidu
Successor:Konijeti Rosaiah
1Blankname1:Ministry and Departments
1Namedata1:
  • General Administration
  • Law & Order
  • Other departments not allocated to any Minister
Term Start1:14 May 2004
Term End1:2 September 2009
Successor1:Konijeti Rosaiah
Office2:7th Leader of the Opposition
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Term Start2:11 October 1999[4]
Term End2:13 May 2004
Governor2:
1Blankname2:Chief Minister
1Namedata2:N. Chandrababu Naidu
Predecessor2:P. Janardhan Reddy
Successor2:N. Chandrababu Naidu
Office3:Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Term Start3:2 December 1989
Term End3:26 April 1999
Predecessor3:D. N. Reddy
Successor3:Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy
Constituency3:Kadapa
Office4:12th President of
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee
Term Start4:1998
Term End4:1999
1Blankname4:AICC President
1Namedata4:Sonia Gandhi
Predecessor4:Konijeti Rosaiah
Successor4:Satyanarayana Rao
Term Start5:1983
Term End5:1985
1Blankname5:AICC President
1Namedata5:
Predecessor5:Gaddam Venkatswamy
Successor5:Jalagam Vengala Rao
Office6:Minister of Excise,
Rural Development and Education
[5]
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Term Start6:1980
Term End6:1983
Governor6:K. C. Abraham
1Blankname6:Chief Minister
1Namedata6:
Successor6:
Office7:Member of Legislative Assembly
Andhra Pradesh
Term Start7:11 October 1999
Term End7:2 September 2009
Predecessor7:Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy
Successor7:Y. S. Vijayamma
Constituency7:Pulivendla
Term Start8:5 March 1978
Term End8:28 November 1989
Predecessor8:Penchikala Basi Reddy
Successor8:Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy
Constituency8:Pulivendla
Birth Name:Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy
Birth Date:8 July 1949
Birth Place:Pulivendula, Madras State (present-day Andhra Pradesh), India
Death Place:Nallamala Hills, Andhra Pradesh, India
Death Cause:Helicopter crash
Resting Place:YSR Ghat, Idupulapaya
Party:Indian National Congress
Children:Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy (son)
Y. S. Sharmila (daughter)
Father:Y. S. Raja Reddy
Relatives:Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy (brother)
Y. S. Avinash Reddy (nephew)
Education:MBBS
Alma Mater:Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College

Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (8 July 1949 – 2 September 2009), popularly known as YSR, was an Indian politician. He served as the 14th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. Reddy was elected (1989, 1991, 1996 and 1998) four terms to the Lok Sabha from Kadapa and was also elected (1978, 1983, 1985, 1999, 2004 and 2009) six terms to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Pulivendula. He had won every election that, he had contested either to Assembly or Lok Sabha. He is one of the great leaders in India who didn't lost contested election in the whole career.

On 2 September 2009, a helicopter carrying Reddy went missing in the Nallamala Forest area which was later confirmed to have crashed with all five people including Reddy pronounced dead.[6]

Padayatra

In 2003, he undertook a three-month-long padayatra covering in 60 days across 11 districts of Andhra Pradesh as a part of his election campaign. He led the Congress party to victory in the 2004 and 2009 assembly elections.[7]

Early and personal life

Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy was born on 8 July 1949 in Pulivendula, Kadapa district, Madras State (present day Andhra Pradesh) into a Christian Reddy family as eldest of five sons.[8] [9] Rajasekhara Reddy completed his medical studies in Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka and served as medical officer at CSI-Campbell Mission Hospital, Jammalamadugu after completing his studies. In 1973, he established a 70-bed hospital.[10] His father Raja Reddy, was assassinated in a bomb attack on 23 May 1998.[11]

Reddy was married to Vijaya Lakshmi.[12] They had a son Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy and a daughter Y. S. Sharmila.[13] His son Jagan and younger brother Y. S. Vivekananda are also politicians. Reddy was a practicing Christian and visited Bethlehem, Palestine twice.[14] [13]

Career

Rajasekhara Reddy joined Indian National Congress in 1978 and won the 1978 legislative assembly elections from Pulivendula. He became minister for Rural Development from 1980 and later shifted to the Excise Ministry in 1982 and Education in 1982–83. He won the 1983 and 1985 elections from the same constituency. He was appointed the state president of the Congress party by Indira Gandhi. He won from Kadapa Parliamentary constituency for four terms in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha. He returned to state politics and won the 1999 assembly elections from the same Pulivendula constituency and served as leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh State Assembly from 1999 to 2004.[10] [15] In 2003, he undertook a three-month-long padayatra covering in 60 days across 11 districts of Andhra Pradesh as a part of his election campaign.[16]

Chief Ministership (2004-09)

Reddy led the congress party to victory in the 2004 assembly election and served as the 14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. During his tenure as Chief Minister, he enacted schemes to provide free electricity for farmers, a health insurance program for rural people living below the poverty line,[17] a free public ambulance service,[18] low interest loans to rural women, subsidised housing for the rural poor,[19] subsidized rice,[20] reimbursement of college fees for underprivileged and reservation for minorities.[21] His tenure also saw the weakening of the violent extremist left-wing Naxalite movement that was rampant in the state.[10] He commenced the Jala Yagnam project to irrigate 10000000acres of land through the construction of major, medium and minor irrigation projects.[22]

He led the congress party to victory in the 2009 assembly election, winning 156 seats in the assembly.[23] He became the first incumbent chief minister from Congress since 1969 to win and was sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 20 May 2009.[24] [25] [26]

Disappearance and death

See main article: 2009 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister helicopter crash.

On 2 September 2009, Reddy's was traveling in a Bell 430 helicopter and the Begumpet and Shamshabad air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at 10:02 am while it was passing through the dense Nallamala forest area.[27] The Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh said that inclement weather had forced the helicopter off course.[28] [29] Although the sparsely populated forest area is considered to be a stronghold of the outlawed Naxal insurgents, the National Security Advisor of India ruled out the possibility of the Naxals bringing down the helicopter.[30] On 3 September, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed the crash of the helicopter and the death of all aboard along with Reddy.[31] [32] The Director General of Police said that the bodies were charred beyond recognition and had to be identified on the basis of clothing and the autopsy was carried out at Kurnool Medical College.[33] [34] An investigation eventually concluded that the factors that caused that crash was from mechanical issues and worse weather conditions.[35]

Reddy's body was buried on 4 September at Idupulapai in Kadapa district with full state honors in accordance with Christian rites.[36] [37] As per media reports, 122 people died of shock or committed suicide upon hearing the news of Reddy's death, many of whom were young supporters or those who benefited from his social welfare schemes.[38] Finance Minister Konijeti Rosaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister following Reddy's death.[39]

Criticism

Reddy was accused of amassing large amounts of money during his tenure as the Chief Minister.[40] He is said to have used populist schemes like irrigation projects and housing schemes to his advantage and earned huge profits through them.[41] In a leaked United States diplomatic cable, the American Consul General quotes that there was "widespread corruption that was beyond the pale even for India".[42] The surrender of more than 1600acres of personal land by Reddy to the government to be compliant with the law in December 2006 was criticised by opposition parties. The opposition parties demanded his resignation for owning the land in violation of the law.[43]

N. Chandrababu Naidu also called for Reddy's resignation after a 2007 Khammam police shooting resulted in eight deaths.[44] A federal probe of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was also launched to investigate disproportionate assets acquired by his son, Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, in return for favours his father made to the industrialists. In May 2012, the CBI arrested Mopidevi Venkataramana, the then Infrastructure Minister in Reddy's cabinet, who was responsible for unduly assigning the land to a private organisations.[45]

In popular culture

On 8 July 2010, the Government of Andhra Pradesh renamed the Kadapa district as YSR district in honour of Reddy, who was a native of that district.[46] [47] On 14 September 2009, the Andhra Cricket Association renamed ACA-VDCA cricket stadium at Visakhapatnam as Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Two sequential films were made about him, Yatra (2019) and Yatra 2 (2024). In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh Government declared YSR Jayanti to be celebrated as Farmer's Day on 8 July every year.

Election Statistics

YearContested ForPartyConstituencyOpponentVotesMajorityResultReference
11978MLAPulivendlaDevireddy Narayan Reddy (JP)47,874 - 27,378+20,496[48]
21983Yeddula Bali Reddy (IND)47,256 - 33,889+13,367[49]
31985Devi Reddy Sadasiva Reddy (TDP)61,048 - 30,206+30,842[50]
41989MPKadapaM. V. Ramana Reddy (TDP)4,80,524 - 3,13,772+1,66,752[51]
51991Chennamsetty Ramachandraiah (TDP)5,83,953 - 1,65,028+4,18,925[52]
61996Kandula Raja Mohan Reddy (TDP)3,68,611- 3,63,166+5,445[53]
71998Kandula Raja Mohan Reddy (TDP)3,74,762 - 3,20,881+53,881[54]
81999MLAPulivendlaSinga Reddy Satish Kumar Reddy(TDP)62,019 - 32,010+30,009[55]
92004Singa Reddy Satish Kumar Reddy (TDP)74,432 - 33,655+40,777[56]
102009Singa Reddy Satish Kumar Reddy (TDP)1,03,556 - 34,875+68,681[57]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.rediff.com/election/2004/may/13ysr.htm
  2. https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/ysr-swornin-as-andhra-cm-emerges-as-a-mass-leader/lite/
  3. Rajasekhara Reddy, four others killed in helicopter crash – https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Rajasekhara-Reddy-four-others-killed-in-helicopter-crash/article16878911.ece
  4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/the-man-who-could-be-next-chief-minister-of-andhra/story-k7W885shXQInRCvoqnBy1H.html
  5. Web site: Rajasekhar Reddy Profile . 3 September 2009 .
  6. News: Death came without warning for, YSR. The Times of India. 2 November 2009. 18 December 2019.
  7. News: Tragedies in Yeduguri Sandinti Family. The Hindu. 21 March 2019. 18 December 2019.
  8. Book: Prasada. Reddy. T.. Sivarama. An Autobiography of Y. S. Chinna Konda Reddy. Y. S. Prakash Reddy. Kadapa. 2010.
  9. Srinivasulu. K. 2009. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy: A Political Appraisal. Economic and Political Weekly. 44. 38. 8–10. 25663561. 0012-9976.
  10. News: YSR: A doctor with a finger on the public pulse. 25 October 2016. Mid-Day. IANS. 3 September 2009. Hyderabad. 25 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180725120216/http://archive.mid-day.com/news/2009/sep/030909-ysr-obituary.htm. dead.
  11. News: Somasekhar. M.. 18 March 2019. Tragedies dog the Yeduguri Sandinti family. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422051756/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/tragedies-dog-the-yeduguri-sandinti-family/article26568205.ece. 22 April 2021. 19 May 2021. The Hindu.
  12. News: More cheap rice, free power. The Indian Express. 21 May 2009. 12 June 2009.
  13. News: YSR leaves for pilgrimage to Israel. The Hindu. 27 May 2009. 3 June 2009.
  14. News: Sai. J S. 7 September 1999. In Cuddapah, YSR is king. 10 September 2009. Rediff.
  15. News: YSR's pocket borough. https://web.archive.org/web/20090424104837/http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/21/stories/2009042160161400.htm. dead. 24 April 2009. India. 21 April 2009. The Hindu. 23 May 2011.
  16. News: YSR's padayatra to begin on April 9. The Times of India. 2 April 2003. 1 December 2023.
  17. News: YSR wants Arogyasree, 108 and 104 under one umbrella.
  18. News: 108 service was YSR's brainchild. https://web.archive.org/web/20090908082713/http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/06/stories/2009090653900400.htm. dead. 8 September 2009. Chennai, India. The Hindu. 6 September 2009.
  19. Rural livelihoods – Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction. World bank. 23 May 2011.
  20. News: K.V.V.V.. Charya. Rs 2/kg rice to add Rs 3,000cr burden on Andhra coffers. The Financial Express . 10 December 2007. 28 May 2009.
  21. News: NREGA: Andhra Pradesh shows the way. https://web.archive.org/web/20080911011228/http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/08/stories/2008090856271000.htm. dead. 11 September 2008. Chennai, India. The Hindu. 8 September 2008.
  22. News: Ram Goginei. Jalayagnam in Andhra Pradesh, India. https://web.archive.org/web/20071108205434/http://jalayagnam.org/index1.php. dead. 8 November 2007. Jalayagnam.org. 23 May 2011.
  23. News: YSR's performance, credibility behind Congress magic in Andhra. https://web.archive.org/web/20141209021520/http://www.sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jfrrzrbabjh&title=YSR_s_performance_credibility_behind_Congress_magic_in_Andhra&tag=Ysr. dead. 9 December 2014. Sify.
  24. News: PTI. 3 September 2009. YSR: From aggressive politician to mass leader. en-IN. The Hindu. live. 19 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20230620063938/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/YSR-From-aggressive-politician-to-mass-leader/article16878912.ece. 20 June 2023. 0971-751X.
  25. Web site: The tragedy and the trend. 5 September 2009. The Indian Express. India. 10 September 2009.
  26. News: YSR Reddy sworn-in as Andhra Pradesh CM. https://archive.today/20090910034602/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=4872e4d1-4b57-4793-acc9-1dd228fa3a13&Headline=YSR+Reddy+sworn-in+as+Andhra+Pradesh+CM. dead. 10 September 2009. 20 May 2009. Hindustan Times. 21 May 2009 .
  27. News: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy Missing. Hindustan Times. 2 September 2009. 23 May 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629213400/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Andhra-Pradesh-Chief-Minister-YS-Rajasekhara-Reddy-Missing/H1-Article1-449644.aspx. 29 June 2011 .
  28. News: Bad weather forced YSR chopper off course. The Economic Times. 4 September 2009. 23 May 2011.
  29. News: Bell-430 deviated from flight path in bad weather. https://web.archive.org/web/20090905062519/http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090460961300.htm. dead. 5 September 2009. India. 4 September 2009. The Hindu. 23 May 2011.
  30. News: NSA rules out Naxal strike on YSR Reddy's chopper. 2 September 2009. Press Trust of India. 10 September 2009.
  31. News: Andhra Pradesh plunges into gloom. 3 September 2009. The Hindustan Times. India. 3 September 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090906084640/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News/hyderabad/Andhra-Pradesh-plunges-into-gloom/Article1-449770.aspx. 6 September 2009.
  32. News: PMO confirms death of Andhra CM. https://web.archive.org/web/20110811072053/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-09-03/india/28065464_1_ysr-reddy-helicopter-crash-y-s-rajasekhara-reddy. dead. 11 August 2011. 3 September 2009. The Times of India. 23 May 2011.
  33. News: Charred bodies of YSR, others identified by clothes. Hindustan Times. India. 3 September 2009. 23 May 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110102191201/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News/hyderabad/Charred-bodies-of-YSR-others-identified-by-clothes/Article1-449885.aspx. 2 January 2011 .
  34. News: Autopsy conducted on YSR in Kurnool. https://web.archive.org/web/20110811072105/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-09-04/india/28100527_1_ysr-rudrakodur-m-malakondiah. dead. 11 August 2011. 4 September 2009. The Times of India. 23 May 2011.
  35. Report on Accident to Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Online Portal. 11 May 2016. 22 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140422040357/http://www.aponline.gov.in/Apportal/Downloads/R.K.%20TYAGI%20REPORT.pdf. dead.
  36. News: Dharur. Suresh. Farewell, 'King of Kadapa'. 4 September 2009. Chandigarh Tribune. 10 September 2009.
  37. News: YSR buried with full state honours in native village. 3 September 2009. The Indian Express. India. 10 September 2009.
  38. News: Over 100 die after YSR's death in Andhra. https://web.archive.org/web/20090906224343/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/over-100-die-after-ysrs-death-son-appeals-for-calm/100684-3.html. dead. 6 September 2009. IBN. 5 September 2009. 15 June 2012.
  39. News: Finance Minister K Rosiah is caretaker CM. 3 September 2009. NDTV. 3 September 2009.
  40. News: YSR's 'sheer size' of corruption shocked US diplomats. 16 September 2011. First Post. 11 May 2014.
  41. News: Graft during YSR rule was above norm in India: WikiLeaks. NDTV. 11 May 2014.
  42. News: YSR Reddy's government was engaged in corruption: WikiLeaks. India Today. 11 May 2014.
  43. News: I've 1,000 acres more, says CM. https://web.archive.org/web/20121106104406/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-12-19/hyderabad/27785352_1_acres-temple-land-patta-land. dead. 6 November 2012. The Times of India. India. 19 December 2006. 26 May 2009.
  44. News: Khammam police firing unfortunate, says Andhra CM. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127045224/https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/khammam-police-firing-unfortunate-says-andhra-cm/491832. 27 November 2020. 2020-11-19. Outlook.
  45. Book: Raja of Corruption: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. 2009. 56–92. en.
  46. News: Kadapa district to be named after YSR. The New Indian Express. 15 June 2012. 18 June 2010. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134802/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/article439652.ece. dead.
  47. News: Kadapa district to be named after YSR. https://web.archive.org/web/20090905062329/http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090458310100.htm. dead . 5 September 2009. 15 June 2012. The Hindu. 4 September 2009.
  48. https://resultuniversity.com/election/pulivendla-andhra-pradesh-assembly-constituency
  49. https://resultuniversity.com/election/pulivendla-andhra-pradesh-assembly-constituency
  50. https://www.indiavotes.com/vidhan-sabha/1985/andhra-pradesh/64/27
  51. https://resultuniversity.com/election/cuddapah-lok-sabha
  52. https://resultuniversity.com/election/cuddapah-lok-sabha
  53. https://www.indiavotes.com/lok-sabha-details/1996/andhra-pradesh/cuddapah/5035/27/11
  54. https://www.indiavotes.com/lok-sabha/1998/andhra-pradesh/12/27
  55. https://www.indiavotes.com/vidhan-sabha/1999/andhra-pradesh/148/27
  56. https://www.indiavotes.com/vidhan-sabha/2004/andhra-pradesh/176/27
  57. https://www.indiavotes.com/ac/summary/30659