Former Governor of Tamil Nadu Konijeti Rosaiah has passed away at the age of 88 in the morning hours of Saturday in Hyderabad due to age-related ailments. One of the prominent political figures in India, Rosaiah has a long political career from serving as the Chief Minister to his Governorship. A veteran leader of Congress, Rosaiah wasn't active for the past few years and breathed his last on Saturday. 

Before his tenure in Raj Bhavan, Rosaiah had served as the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh from 2009 to 2010. He also had served as a Congress MLA, MLC, and MP several times in his decades-long political career. Besides handling several ministerial posts in Andhra Pradesh before becoming the Chief Minister, he had set a record by presenting 16 budgets, seven budgets in a row, in the assembly and his role as Finance Minister of the state had poured him more recognition. 

After his Chief Ministership, Rosaiah was made the Governor of Tamil Nadu on 31st August 2011, during Jayalalithaa's rule in the state. He was the 13th Governor of Tamil Nadu and maintained a good rapport with Jayalalithaa. While serving as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, he was given additional responsibility as Governor of Karnataka and he held the post for two months. 

He served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu for five years and demitted the office on 30 August 2016, three months ahead of Jayalalithaa's demise. His active politics came to an end after his Governorship and he was replaced by Vidyasagar Rao in Tamil Nadu. Rosaiah was born in July 1933 at Vemuru in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. During his school days, he was elected as the student leader, which had seeded his political entry. As a well-known orator, Rosaiah had begun his politics as a disciple of Swatantra Party leader and activist NG Ranga. 

He was first elected as MLC of Andhra Pradesh in 1968 and got elected as an MLA from the Chirala assembly constituency in 1989. In 1998, he was elected as MP from Narasaraopet and a decade later, he became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and served briefly for a year, following which he was appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu. During his decades-spanning political career, Rosaiah had worked closely with most of the Prime Ministers of India, including Jawarharlal Nehru. 

For two years, from 1994 to 1996, he had served as the President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee. Honouring his public service, Andhra University had conferred Rosaiah with an honorary doctorate in 2007. He had been suffering from age-related ailments for the past few years and was receiving treatments. However, he had breathed his last at 88 in the morning hours of Saturday in Hyderabad. 

After learning about his demise, several political leaders have been paying tribute to the departed soul. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took to social media and wrote, "Pained to hear about the passing away of Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Former Governor of Tamil Nadu Dr Konijeti Rosaiah, a man of vast experience, knowledge and a veteran statesman. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends in this hour of grief." 

Pained to hear about the passing away of Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Former Governor of Tamil Nadu Dr. Konijeti Rosaiah, a man of vast experience, knowledge and a veteran statesman. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends in this hour of grief.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 4, 2021