Andhra Pradesh Politics
Encyclopedia
Formation of Andhra Pradesh
In December 1953, the States Reorganization Commission was appointed to prepare for the creation of states on linguistic lines. Thus, merging the Telugu speaking regions, the central government, established a unified Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
on November 1, 1956 http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history_post.html.
Congress Era
The Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party won all the state elections from the emergence of the state in 1953 till 1983.Projects like Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam
Srisailam
Srisailam is a holy town and mandal, situated in Nallamala Hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on the banks of River Krishna, about 232 km south of Hyderabad....
Dams were constructed during this time. There were 10 different chief ministers from the formation of the state in 1956 till 1983.
First separate Telangana movement
The Northwest region of the state is called TelanganaTelangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
and includes the capital city of Hyderabad. The influx of the people from the coastal region into the city of Hyderabad and remaining regions of Telangana had created social tensions. Discontent spread among the people of Telangana
Telangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
, officials and unemployed youth who felt that they were exploited by the people of the Andhra region. This resulted in a student of Khammam going on a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
in January 1969 demanding the implementation of the safeguards for Telangana provided in the Gentlemen's Agreement. This agitation spread to Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. In the beginning, the movement demanded the implementation of the safeguards agreed upon earlier, but later it wanted the separation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh. The agitation took a new turn when the Congress legislators from Telangana supported the movement. Chenna Reddy
Marri Chenna Reddy
Marri Channa Reddy was an Indian politician active in several states. He was the governor of Uttar Pradesh , governor of Punjab , governor of Rajasthan from February 1992 to May 1993, and governor of Tamil Nadu from 1993 until his death. He was a leader of Indian National Congress Party...
entered the fray and formed the Telangana Praja Samiti to lead the movement. But in November 1969 there was a major split in the TPS which eventually led to the downfall of the movement.In 1969, Purushothama Rao unveiled Telangana map in the state assembly and he was for outright separation during the 1969 Telangana movement and he supported the student views.[5] In the year 1972, all candidates belonging to STPS under the leadership of M Sridhar Reddy contested the assembly elections, however, only Mr.Purushothama Rao got elected from Wardhannapet constituency of Warangal District and rest were defeated.[6] In September 1971, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy at Hyderabad, was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, India from 29 February 1964 to 30 September 1971. On 3 June 1977 he was elected president of the Indian National Congress.-Early life:...
, the then Chief Minister, resigned his position to make room for a leader from Telangana to become the Chief Minister. On 30 September 1971, P.V.Narasimha Rao became the Chief Minister. The Telangana Praja Samiti was dissolved and its members rejoined the Congress.
Emergence of Telugu Desam Party
In 1983, N. T. Rama Rao
N. T. Rama Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao , also known as NTR and fondly referred to as Anna Garu, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, and a politician...
, a popular Telugu actor established his Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
(Telugu Desam, meaning Land of Telugus) with the support of people's dissent arising out of frequent changes in chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, on a platform of "Telugu Pride". Within nine months of its founding, Telugu Desam was voted to power and NTR became the first Non-Congress chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.
First breakup of the Telugu Desam Party
In August 1984, when NTR was in the United States undergoing heart surgery, the state finance minister Nadendla Bhaskara RaoNadendla Bhaskara Rao
Nadendla Bhaskara Rao was the chief minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh for a brief period in 1983. He holds the dubious distinction of serving the shortest term as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh – 31 days...
broke the party and formed the state government with the help of the opposition Congress(I)
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. However his government lasted only 31 days as he did not command a majority in the Assembly. NTR was reinstated to power on September 16, 1984.
Return of the Congress
The Congress returned to power when Marri Chenna ReddyMarri Chenna Reddy
Marri Channa Reddy was an Indian politician active in several states. He was the governor of Uttar Pradesh , governor of Punjab , governor of Rajasthan from February 1992 to May 1993, and governor of Tamil Nadu from 1993 until his death. He was a leader of Indian National Congress Party...
was sworn in for his second term as chief minister on December 3, 1989. The Congress lasted in power until the elections of 1994.
NTR's Second Term
In the elections of 1994, N. T. Rama RaoN. T. Rama Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao , also known as NTR and fondly referred to as Anna Garu, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, and a politician...
's Telugu Desam Party ran advocating prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in response to a women's movement. He had then recently married his second wife Lakshmi Parvati. NTR's campaign focussed on the rural areas which won him a significant majority in the state elections of 1995.
Second Breakup of the Telugu Desam
When NTR became the Chief minister in 1994, he appointed one of his sons-in-law Nara Chandrababu Naidu as the Revenue Minister. Soon after the formation of the government in response to the growing influence of Lakshmi Parvati on the political decisions of NTR, Chandrababu Naidu convinced a majority of the TDP MLAs to elect him as the chief minister. Since most of the legislators had gone over to his side, the Anti Defection Law did not apply and the Telugu Desam Party label passed on to the Chandrababu Naidu faction. The NTR faction became TDP(NTR). NTR died on January 18, 1996 and Lakshmi Parvati succeeded him as the head of TDP(NTR) which no longer had any representation in the state legislature. Chandrababu Naidu's TDP won the next election of 1999 and was the Chief Minister for 9 years until 2004 when it was defeated by the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
whose state leader Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy became the chief minister.
2004 Assembly Elections
Under Y. S. Rajasekhara ReddyY. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy , popularly known as YSR, was a two-time Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He is seen as the most popular chief minister of Andhra pradesh. His popularity is often attributed to various welfare schemes and development programs he championed for the...
, the Indian National Congress party won the 2004 elections as part of a coalition with TRS. During the run-up to the 2004 elections, Rajasekhar Reddy was able bring a common platform and mutual agreement within the Andhra Pradesh Congress Party. His campaign took form of a three-month-long "padhayatra" or foot-walk. The elections resulted in the defeat of the then-ruling Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
under the leadership of N.Chandrababu Naidu. The congress also won the municipal elections in 2005 and district local body elections in 2006 and also Panchayat Elections in 2006.
2009 Assembly Elections
In the Andhra Pradesh general election, 2009Andhra Pradesh general election, 2009
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election of 2009 took place in April 2009, concurrently with the Indian general election, 2009. The elections were held in the state in the first phase and second phase. The results were declared on 2009-05-16...
the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
under the leadership of YSR could get a simple majority by winning 156 of 294 assembly seats. Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
(TDP) gained a few more assembly seats than the previous election. Praja Rajyam Party
Praja Rajyam Party
Praja Rajyam was a regional political party in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India, founded by Telugu cinema actor Chiranjeevi on August 26, 2008.On 2011, 6 February it was officially announced that the party would be merging into Indian National Congress...
founded by Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi is a Telugu film actor and a politician. He has appeared primarily in Telugu Cinema along with a few Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films. He made his acting debut in Punadhirallu . However, Pranam Khareedu released at the box office earlier...
won 16% of the votes. The TRS and the Left parties
Left Front
The Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. After a 34-year reign in West Bengal, the Left Front was swept from power in the 2011 election...
which in combination won less than 7% of the votes. Lok Satta Party won its first Assembly seat and captured more than 1% vote share.
As Rajasekhara Reddy died on September 2, 2009 in an unfortunate chopper crash, K. Rosaiah of the Indian National Congress took charges as Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. However K. Rosaiah resigned as Chief Minister on health grounds. The next day, on November 25, 2010, the present Chief Minister, Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy of Indian National Congress took charges as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
See also
- List of Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh
- Government of Andhra PradeshGovernment of Andhra PradeshGovernment of Andhra Pradesh is the government for the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India.It is an elected government with 294 MLAs elected to the legislative assembly for a 5 year term.-Executive:...
- Elections in Andhra PradeshElections in Andhra PradeshElections in Andhra Pradesh state, India are conducted in accordance with the Constitution of India. The Assembly of Andhra Pradesh creates laws regarding the conduct of local body elections unilaterally while any changes by the state legislature to the conduct of state level elections need to be...