TDP co-founder, former Andhra CM Bhaskar Rao dies in Hyd at 90

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Veteran politician Nadenla Bhaskar Rao, who founded the Telugu Desam Party along with legendary Telugu actor N T Rama Rao in 1982 and served as the chief minister of erstwhile combined Andhra Pradesh for one month in 1984, died at 90 in Hyderabad on Wednesday after a prolonged illness , his family members said. Nadenla Bhaskar RaoHe is survived by his son Nadendla Manohar, Andhra Pradesh civil supplies minister and a Jana Sena Party MLA from Tenali. Bhaskar Rao was under treatment for respirator issues for the last month, said a family member, adding that he died around noon. Born on June 23, 1935, Bhaskar Rao entered electoral politics in 1978 by winning the Vijayawada (East) assembly seat on behalf a Congress ticket and serveing as a minister in the Marri Channa Reddy cabinet. He joined hands with N T Rama Rao (NTR) to launch the TDP in March 1982 and was considered NTR’s co-pilot with regard to the party. After TDP came to power in January 1983, he joined NTR’s cabinet as finance minister. However, differences cropped up between the two leaders and when NTR was in the US for heart treatment in August 1984, Bhaskar Rao pulled off a coup with the support of a few TDP MLAs and became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on August 16. Upon NTR’s return, he launched a “Save the Democracy” movement across the state, with the support of parties such as BJP and the Communists. Bhaskar Rao was unable to probe his majority on the floor of the House and stepped down on September 16. He later joined the Congress, and was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1988 from Khammam, which he subsequently lost in 1999. On July 6, 2019, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience.