Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy

Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy was a Congress leader from Kurnool district who served twice as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: from September 1982 to January 1983, when the Telugu Desam won the election, and again from late 1992 to December 1994. In his second term he banned arrack (country liquor). The census handbook of 2001 speaks of him as the late Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy.

Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy was a Congress leader who was twice Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, in 1982–83 and from 1992 to 1994.1 Both times he took over a divided Congress government shortly before an election, and both times the Telugu Desam defeated his party.23 The census handbook of Kurnool district names him, as the “late Sri Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy”, among the district’s great politicians.4

Most of this page follows G. Venkataramarao’s Telugu history Telangana Charitra (2014), with dates from P. Raghunadha Rao’s list of Chief Ministers.51

Early years in politics

The Andhra Legislative Assembly’s list of members of August 1956 names a K. Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy as member for the general seat of Yemmiganur.6 The list does not give his family name.6 On 10 August 1956 Sri K. Vijaya Bhaskara Reddi asked the minister D. Sanjivayya a question in the Assembly about the state’s Marketing Federation.7

Venkataramarao counts Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy among the opponents of Chief Minister Neelam Sanjiva Reddy in the early 1960s.8 He writes that critics saw the government’s take-over of bus routes in Kurnool district as an attack on such opponents.8 The bus owners went to the Supreme Court, which accepted their complaint on 23 February 1964, and Sanjiva Reddy resigned.8

First term, 1982–1983

In 1982 the Congress replaced Chief Minister Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy.5 Venkataramarao writes that the party leaders in Delhi believed only Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy could face the rising Telugu Desam of N. T. Rama Rao.5 He was sworn in on 20 September 1982.51 The Congress leaders promised that he would stay Chief Minister after the coming election as well.2

His cabinet included Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu.2 The government lasted three months and nineteen days.2 When the Congress lost the election of January 1983 to the Telugu Desam, he resigned.2 The story of that election is on N. T. Rama Rao.2

Second term, 1992–1994

In 1992 Chief Minister N. Janardhana Reddy had to resign.9 Raghunadha Rao writes that Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy led the campaign against Janardhana Reddy, and that Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy then became Chief Minister for the second time.9 The Government of India’s yearbook for 1993 lists him as Chief Minister.10

Venkataramarao calls him one of the few politicians of the old generation who wanted to build politics on moral values.11 He banned arrack (cheap country liquor), and Venkataramarao writes that this won him the support of women.11 To make up the lost revenue, the government levied a turnover tax, which raised prices and made it unpopular.11

Venkataramarao also writes that the government was less corrupt than its predecessor, and that he was praised for his clean record and long experience.113 But dissidents in the Congress, especially the followers of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, worked against him.3 In the election of December 1994 the Congress won only a small number of seats, and the Telugu Desam returned to power.312

Where the sources disagree

  • When his second term began. Venkataramarao says he was sworn in on 9 November 1992.11 Raghunadha Rao gives 9 October 1992.91
  • When his first term began. Raghunadha Rao’s list gives 20 September 1982.1 In his text Raghunadha Rao says the Congress put him in Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy’s place in October 1982.13
  • Congress seats in 1994. In one passage Venkataramarao says the Congress won 25 seats.3 In his table of results on the next page he gives it 26.12

Footnotes

  1. Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (1997), Appendix 3, list of Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, p. 369 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 341 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  3. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 354 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Kurnool District (2006), p. 26 (PDF p. 67) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  5. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 340 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  6. Andhra Legislative Assembly Debates, 8 August 1956, list of members, p. ix (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  7. Andhra Legislative Assembly Debates, 10 August 1956, questions and answers, p. 195 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  8. G. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 310 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  9. Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (1997), p. 305 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  10. Research and Reference Division, India 1993: A Reference Annual (1994), p. 734, Andhra Pradesh (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  11. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 353 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  12. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 355 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  13. P. Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (Telugu, revised edition 1997), p. 290 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

References

Sources (6)
  1. G. Venkataramarao; C. Narayana Reddy (chief ed.) and J. Chennayya (ed.), Telangana Charitra (తెలంగాణ చరిత్ర) (opens in a new tab), Andhra Saraswata Parishat, Hyderabad, 2014, pp. 310, 340–341, 353–355. Cite-only; paraphrased. In Telugu. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. P. Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (ఆధునిక ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ చరిత్ర), Telugu version of History of Modern Andhra Pradesh (opens in a new tab), Sterling Publishers, New Delhi, 1997, pp. 290, 305, 369. Cite-only; paraphrased. In Telugu. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  3. Andhra Legislative Assembly, Andhra Legislative Assembly Debates, 8th August 1956 (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra, 1956, list of members, p. ix. [Public domain in India]
  4. Andhra Legislative Assembly, Andhra Legislative Assembly Debates, Vol. VIII, No. 3: 10th August 1956 (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra, 1956, pp. 195. [Public domain in India]
  5. Research and Reference Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India 1993: A Reference Annual (opens in a new tab), Publications Division, New Delhi, 1994, pp. 734. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  6. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Kurnool District (Parts A and B) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2006, pp. 26. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]

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