T. Anjaiah · Telugu History

T. Anjaiah was a Congress leader from Hyderabad who was Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1980 to 1982.¹² He had begun life as a labourer, and G. Venkataramarao’s Telugu history Telangana Charitra (2014) calls him a “son of the poor”.¹ The census handbook of Hyderabad district names the “late” T. Anjaiah among the politicians of the district who reached the highest posts in the state.³

From labourer to Chief Minister

Venkataramarao writes that Anjaiah once worked in the Allwyn factory for a daily wage of six annas.¹ He rose step by step until he became Chief Minister.¹ Before that he had been a minister in the central government.¹

In 1980 Indira Gandhi removed M. Chenna Reddy as Chief Minister, and Anjaiah took his place.⁴¹⁵ Venkataramarao counts him as the eighth Chief Minister of the state.¹ He writes that Anjaiah got the post because of his clean name, his friendly nature and the belief that he could carry everyone along.¹

The “Airbus” cabinet

Anjaiah began with a cabinet of 22 ministers.¹ On 2 November 1980 he added 38 more, so the cabinet grew to 61, the largest in the state’s history.¹ About a hundred of the 291 members of the Assembly now held a post as minister or as chairman of a state corporation.¹

Anjaiah believed that more ministers meant better government.¹ He compared his cabinet to an “Airbus”: the bigger the plane, the more comfortable the journey.¹ Criticism poured in, and Indira Gandhi told him to cut it down.¹ Nine weeks after it was formed, the cabinet came down to 45.¹

P. Raghunadha Rao sees the large cabinet as a way of pleasing the different groups in the Congress.⁵ He writes that it raised doubts about Anjaiah’s ability and made him a figure of fun.⁵⁶

Local elections

Venkataramarao gives Anjaiah the credit for holding elections to the panchayat raj bodies after eleven years.¹ Raghunadha Rao adds that his government held elections to panchayat samitis, municipalities and the city corporations of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.⁵ The Bharatiya Janata Party won a majority in the Visakhapatnam corporation.⁷ In Vijayawada the Communist parties won and chose the mayor and deputy mayor.⁷

Fall

Venkataramarao writes that loyalty to Indira Gandhi was Anjaiah’s strength, and that he was ready to step down whenever the party leaders asked.⁸ Ministers who had lost their posts formed a dissident group and worked to bring his government down.⁵ Venkataramarao names N. Janardhana Reddy and Kona Prabhakara Rao as the leaders of this dissent.⁸ He also writes that Rajiv Gandhi stepped in and insulted Anjaiah in public before he was removed.⁸

On 20 February 1982 Anjaiah submitted his resignation.⁹ Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy took his place.⁸⁵ Raghunadha Rao writes that Anjaiah’s removal was one reason why the Congress did badly in the corporation elections.⁷ Venkataramarao ends by saying that Anjaiah proved how a man from the bottom could climb any height, and that he also encouraged the arts.⁸

Where the sources disagree

When he became Chief Minister. Venkataramarao says Anjaiah was sworn in on 13 August 1980.¹ Raghunadha Rao’s list gives 11 October 1980, and his text says Chenna Reddy resigned in October 1980.²⁵
The size of the cabinet. Venkataramarao gives 61 ministers.¹ Raghunadha Rao gives 63 in one place and 61 in another.⁵⁶
When his successor took office. Venkataramarao says Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy was sworn in on 16 February 1982.⁸ Raghunadha Rao’s list gives 24 February 1982.² The Government of India’s yearbook dates Anjaiah’s resignation to 20 February 1982.⁹

Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 339 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸
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
Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Hyderabad District (2006), p. 25 (PDF p. 54) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩
G. Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 338 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩
P. Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (Telugu, revised edition 1997), p. 289 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸
Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (1997), p. 291 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩²
Raghunadha Rao, Adhunika Andhrapradesh Charitra (1997), p. 290 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩² ↩³
Venkataramarao, Telangana Charitra (2014), p. 340 (in Telugu) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
Research and Reference Division, India 1983: A Reference Annual (1983), p. 531, events of 20 February 1982 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩²