Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy


Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy was the chief minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on two occasions, in 1983 and then from 1992 to 1994. Reddy was a member of the Indian National Congress. He was elected to the Lok Sabha six times in 1977, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1998. He was a Union cabinet Minister as well as member of several parliamentary committees. He lost the 1999 elections and subsequently retired from active politics. Botanical Garden in Hyderabad is named after him.

Biography and politics

Born in the remote village of Laddagiri in Kurnool district to the family of a landlord, he began his involvement in politics at Nandyal gram panchayat and rose to be involved at national level. He graduated in law but rarely practiced due to his political workload. He represented several assembly constituencies in the district but his major breakthrough came in when he was elected as chairman of Zilla Parishad. He held several posts both in the Indian National Congress party and in central and state governments. He is credited as the man of value based politics. After his death "Kisan ghat" was erected in his memory by the state government

Personal life

His son, Kotla Jayasurya Prakasha Reddy, is a Member of Parliament representing Kurnool Parliamentary constituency for the second term.

Positions held

1955-61 Member, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Secretary, Congress Legislature Party, Andhra
Pradesh
1955-61 Member, Public Accounts Committee
1959-67 Chairman,Zila Parishad, Kurnool
1961-62 Chairman, Public Accounts Committee
1962-64 General-Secretary, Pradesh Congress Committee
, Andhra Pradesh
1967-72 Member, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council
1967-71 Minister, Co-operation, Major Irrigation and
Finance, Andhra Pradesh
1977 Elected to 6th Lok Sabha
1977-82 Member, Committee on Estimates
1980-81 President, P.C.C., Andhra Pradesh
1980 Re-elected to 7th Lok Sabha

1982-83 Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh
1983-84 Union Cabinet Minister, Shipping and Transport and
Union Cabinet Minister, Industry and Company
Affairs
1989 Re-elected to 9th Lok Sabha
1990-91 Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation
Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Water
Resources
Member, Political Affairs Committee, Congress
Parliamentary Party
1991 Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha
1991-92 Union Cabinet Minister, Law, Justice and Company
Affairs
1992-94 Member, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
1992-94 Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh
1996 Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha
1996-97 Member, Committee on Transport and Tourism
1998 Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha
1998-99 Member, Committee on Transport and Tourism
Member, Rules Committee
Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Civil Aviation