Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
| Kasu Brahmananda Reddy | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh | |
|
In office 21 February 1964 – 30 September 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
| Succeeded by | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Constituency | Guntur |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 July 1909 British India (now India) |
| Died | 1994 (aged 84 years) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Congress (I) |
| Residence | India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (28 July 1909 – 20 May 1994 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.[1]
Early life
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy was born in Chirumamilla in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. His early education took place in Guntur and he graduated from Madras Presidency College and also studied in Kerala. He practised law and was a very successful advocate.
Career
Reddy is credited with creating the Industrial infrastructure in and around Hyderabad. Only congress president to expel Indira Gandhi from Indian National Congress. During his long regime of seven years (longest for any Congress chief minister in the state of Andhra Pradesh), many major industries like BHEL, HMT, IDPL, Hindustan Cables and several defense establishments like MIDHANI, Bharath Dynamics were established. During his tenure as the Chief Minister, Jalagam Vengal Rao, the Home Minister was instrumental in suppressing the Naxal movement in the north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Reddy also held key positions such as Telecommunications Minister, Finance Minister, Home Minister of India (1974–1977) and Governor of Maharashtra (20 February 1988 to 18 January 1990). He was also only one of two elected All India Congress Committee Presidents, all others having been nominated.
Reddy spared no effort to keep AP united, even in the face of Telangana movement in 1969. It is said that over 9 months of the movement, about 370 youngsters and students were killed in police firings and that more than 70,000 people were arrested of which 7,000 were women and that people were lathi charged 3,266 times, and about 20,000 people were injured in the lathi charge, and 1840 people had received bullet injuries and fractures, tear gas was supposedly used 1870 times. It is alleged that all of this was suppressed by the then Kasu Brahmananda Reddy government by using brute force.
The famous Chiran Palace was named after Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, in his honor.
Personal life
Brahmananda Reddy was a fan of old NTR and ANR movies especially Krishnavataram, Bhukailas, Pandava Vanavasam, SriKrishna Satya, Gundamma Katha, KanyaSulkam etc. As a youngster, he played tennis and hockey. He was also very much interested in watching cricket matches. Reddy is survived by his wife Kasu Raghavamma; they have no children. His nephew Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy (son of his brother Kasu Vengala Reddy) was a Cabinet Minister in the A.P. Government.
Criticism
He was criticised for suppressing telangana students and organisations during telangana movement in his term as chiefminister.
