Man of many records, KCR serving longest uninterrupted stint as Chief Minister in Telugu states

HYDERABAD: Yes. He did it. Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao scripted history. He will be completing the longest period in the office of the Chief Minister in Telugu States — undivided and/or bifurcated - On June 2, 2023. He, in fact, complete the longest stint as the Chief Minister in Hyderabad on February 16, 2023 since India became Independent.

The Telangana’s strongman — who looks frail, but definitely not fragile — completed 8 years, 8 months and 14 days in office as the Chief Minister, with Hyderabad as its seat of power, on February 16, 2023. Thus, he surpassed the record hitherto held by Telugu Desam Supremo N Chandrababu Naidu who had an unbroken stint of 8 years, 8 months and 13 days as the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh between September 1, 1995 and May 13, 2004. That he became the first Chief Minister of the truncated Andhra Pradesh for one term yet is another thing.

KCR has surpassed Naidu by a day then and now owned the record of serving an uninterrupted stint as the Chief Minster for nine consecutive years. This is, thus far, a record in the undivided or bifurcated Telugu States. And, every day, he is setting a new record. KCR was sworn in the Chief Minister on June 2, 2014 by then Governor ESL Narasimhan at Parade Grounds.

As the first Chief Minister of Telangana state, KCR has always been making an effort to prove that he’s also the best Chief Minister in the annals of Telangana’s history by taking up development and welfare — effectively balancing both — on a mega scale.

Coming back to the tenures, we are not factoring in the period between August 15, 1947 and September 30, 1953. When the Telugu territory was under Combined Madras State (large parts of Andhra, Tamil Nadu, parts of Odisha) and Hyderabad (Telangana, plus parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra).

After the Police action, and tenure of Nizam’s

Rule ended, an Indian Civil Services officer M K Vellodi was appointed the Chief Minister of Hyderabad on January 26, 1950 — the first Republic Day — by the Government of India. He held the office until March 6, 1952.

After the first general elections to Hyderabad state in the Republic of India, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected the Chief Minister of Hyderabad on March 7, 1952 and held the office until October 31, 1956.

Parallelly, Andhra State with coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts was carved out of Combined Madras State, after a protracted agitation, on October 1, 1953 with Kurnool as its headquarters. It had Tanguturi Prakasam as its first Chief Minister until November 15, 1954. After 133 days of President’s rule, Bezawada Gopala Reddy was made the Chief Minister on March 28, 1955 and he held the position until a united Andhra Pradesh was formed on November 1, 1956 with Hyderabad as its headquarters.

Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy of the Congress was elected the Chief Minister and assumed office on November 1. 1956 and continued for 3 years 71 days up to January 11, 1960.

Hyderabad has been the seat of power for the combined State as also after bifurcation into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Who served the longest as CM after KCR and Naidu?

While KCR is serving the longest unbroken stint, N Chandrababu Naidu had one. Kasu Brahmananda Reddy served for 7 years 221 days between February 21, 1964 and September 30, 1971. Next longest unbroken stint as Chief Minister’s tenure was of Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy for 5 years 111 days from May 14, 2004 to September 2, 2009. He was the only serving Chief Minister who died in office.

However, it was N T Rama Rao who had a stint in the Chief Minister’s position for about 7 years 200 days in three different spells. Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was the Chief Minister for 5 years 80 days in two different spells.

No other leader completed the five-year mark, though the combined State had 16 Chief Ministers.

KCR’s records

Not sure if anybody is recording such achievements, but KCR indeed carved a niche for himself in Indian politics. He dreamt of creation of a separate Telangana, created a political party for this express purpose and ran a peaceful agitation for 13 years. Patience paid off. He ensured that peace is the top most priority after bifurcation. He became the first Chief Minister, set huge targets and is going on achieving them. He keeps raising the bar higher. He built the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, largest drinking water network (Mission Bhagiratha), and indeed delivered the most compared to any of his predecessors. The largest foreign and domestic investments came between 2014 and now, which if recorded and collated would run into several thousands of crores of rupees. KCR created 33 districts, a large number of municipal bodies and village panchayats with a concerted view of offering decentralised administration to people.

He had the gall to pull down a historic temple - Yadadri - without disturbing the position of the presiding deity and had it renovated with a whopping Rs.1,500 crore and the temple is abuzz with pilgrims constantly.

He had the secretariat building razed to the ground and rebuilt a stellar construction that became the icon to represent Hyderabad with swanky offices and corridors. The construction was certified as a green building. He has to his credit the tallest (125 ft with a 50-ft base) statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in India.

KCR regime completed the circle of the Outer Ring Road around the State Capital and realised the dream of Hyderabad Metro Rail. And, the schemes launched and are successfully being implemented form a long list without any exaggeration, making KCR a man of records.

Thus, the frail man born in a nondescript village of Chintamadaka in Medak district is riding on the crest of his popularity by succeeding in making the parched brown lands of drought-prone region of Telangana a lush green state with swirling waters crisscrossing it.