Nadendla Bhaskara Rao - 1984 - Forming Government

Once Y.B.Chawan, who was then Chairman of Finance Commission came to Hyderbad. N.T.Rama Rao and Nadendla Bhaskara Rao gave their opinions to Y.B.Chawan regarding finance of the state.

Y.B.Chawan understood that, there are differences of opinions between NTR and Nadendla and told that to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Central Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee came to Hyderabad and asked Nadendla to meet him in his friend's house. Nadendla talked to Pranab Mukherjee as Finance Minister. Pranab Mukherjee told Nadendla that, he (Nadendla) has the majority in the Assembly. After some time, in the same house Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy told him that, Nadendla was the leader of Kammas (Kamma Caste), and not N.T.Rama Rao. He also told him that, he was the only hope.

Once Nadendla went Delhi to get the relief fund for drought. But, N.T.Rama Rao did not like to ask center for anything. Nadendla met Pranab Mukherjee, and Pranab was ready to sanction relief fund. He asked Nadendla to meet the Prime Minister.

Indira Gandhi came to know about the differences in Telugu Desam party from her intelligence reports. She was unsatisfied with N.T.Rama Rao, since he scolded her and walked out from the National Development Council with other Chief Ministers. She was not happy with the behaviour of NTR.

Indira Gandhi told Nadendla that, he (Nadendla) started a regional political party, since he was not made as the Chief Minister in the Congress government. She asked him, why he made NTR as C.M. instead of he himself becoming C.M. Nadendla told her that, basically he was a Congress man, and likes Nehru and Indira Gandhi a lot. To develop the state, he started a regional party. He wanted to develop the state with the help of the union government. If the government is not ruled properly, then he would not support NTR. Indira Gandhi told him to be in touch with Moopanar. Wherever he wants to meet Moopanar, she would send him there. She also clearly told him to do not disclose these to anyone and specifically to P.V.Narasimha Rao.

N.T.Rama Rao sent an order from America to the Chief Secretary for flag hoisting by the Collectors in their respective districts. Nadendla did not like that, and he sent a letter to N.T.Rama Rao that, it should be done by the Ministers and not by the Collectors.

August 14th, 1984

When N.T.Rama Rao came to Mumbai, Chandrababu and his supporters went Mumbai and received him. From there itself, they started telling negatively about Nadendla. NTR did not know about the intricacies of these matters, and listened to Chandrababu for everything. He sent an order to the Governor to remove Nadendla from his Cabinet.

One friend of Nadendla from Governor Bungalow informed Nadendla that, Governor got a letter to remove him from the Cabinet. Nadendla also sent his resignation to Governor. Governor got two letters, one was resignation of Nadendla from the Cabinet and second one was removing Nadendla from the Cabinet.

Within one hour after the resignation of Nadendla, three more ministers and the Chief Whip resigned. That night, 90 MLAs came to Nadendla and told him that they are going to support him. All of them signed in support of him. Nadendla's signature was 91st. Chandrababu Naidu told NTR that, if Nadendla is removed from the cabinet, then there will not be more than 2-3 MLAs in support of him. But, after seeing 90 MLAs supporting him, NTR scolded and hated Chandrababu like anything.

Nadendla heard that, Chandrababu went to New M.L.A.quarters to bring MLAs, and he was beaten there.

August 15th, 1984

Nadendla and his supporters met Governor Ramlal between 8.30 AM - 9 AM. They told him that, they are going to withdraw support to N.T.Rama Rao. NTR also asked Governor for an appointment, but, Governor did not give any appointment. Nadendla felt, he should have given an appointment to him. Had he given the appointment, he would have come to know that, there are not that many supporters to NTR, and Governor would not have asked Nadendla to prove his majority within a month.

At that time, there was no act that prevents floor crossing. MLAs can move from any party to any other party.

NTR sent a letter to Governor with the signatures of his supporters. All opposition parties are supporting Nadendla.

After the Governor felt that, Nadendla had full support, he asked N.T.Rama Rao to resign. Nadendla told Governor that, he was not going after the Chief Minister post. If the opposition leader A.Madan Mohan was interested, he could become C.M., and Nadendla would support him externally. But, High Command was not interested in that. So, Governor asked Nadendla to form the government the next day.

August 16th, 1984

Nadendla Bhaskara Rao went to Raj Bhavan to take oath. At that time, Governor was giving interview to NTR and his associates. When the Governor was coming for oath ceremony, NTR obstructed him and did not allow even after the Governor asked. The Governor asked the Police Commissioner to arrest NTR. When Police Commissioner was arresting NTR, they took photos and got good publicity out of it. That police commissioner (Vijaya Rama Rao) later joined Telugu Desam Party and became Cabinet Minister.

There was a delay because of NTR. By that time, Rahukalam started. The Governor asked Nadendla to take oath at that time. Nadendla was not interested in taking oath at that time. But, Governor insisted that, state must have a C.M. at all times. Since, there was no C.M. then, and he must take oath immediately. Both NTR and Nadendla believe in astrology. If they take oath at the time of Rahukalam, the government would automatically collapse. NTR wanted that only, and Nadendla did not have any other option other than taking oath at the time of Rahukalam.

NTR took all the MLAs and MPs and went to the President, and presented everyone as MLAs. Then, he took all the MLAs went to Bangalore, and then to Mysore, and then to Nandi Hills. He took him to different places so that, Nadendla does not capture them.

August 17th, 1984 onwards

At the same time, all the opposition parties at the center supported NTR for their selfish reasons to bring down Indira Gandhi's government. Indira Gandhi recalled Governor Ramlal and made Shankar Dayal Sharma as the Governor. Nadendla says, Sharma got wrong feeding from the leaders of Telugu Desam Party, and he always acted with prejudice.

Shankar Dayal Sharma asked Nadendla to make Bagareddy as the speaker. Eventhough Nadendla did want to make him as the speaker, he made him as the speaker. Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy and P.V.Narasimha Rao criticized Nadendla for listening to the Governor in the selection of the speaker.

Speaker Bagareddy got a heart attack and left, and Nadendla made Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi as the speaker. To call for assembly, they need to give three days notice to the members. Governor had given one month notice to prove majority in the assembly. The one month period expired before the three days. So, Shankar Dayal Sharma asked Nadendla to resign for not proving the majority.

Nadendla told Shankar Dayal Sharma that, many MLAs were captured by NTR. He asked to release all the MLAs and let the MLAs select the Chief Minister. NTR did not allow to move any resolution in the assembly. Even if Nadendla resigns, NTR should not be asked to form the government, since, the MLAs were captured by NTR. Nadendla asked the Governor to have President Rule for few months, and then let the MLAs select the Chief Minister. But, the Governor did not listen to him, and asked Nadendla to resign and NTR to form the government.

Nadendla says, P.V.Narasimha Rao was the main reason for NTR to get back his power. P.V. sent N.G.Ranga, K.L.N.Prasad, Dr.Yalavarthi Nayudamma to Indira Gandhi, and told her that, NTR will not oppose her again and give back the power to him. But, at that time, K.L.N.Prasad acted like he was supporting Nadendla Bhaskara Rao.

After NTR became Chief Minister he went to Delhi and met Indira Gandhi and told her that, he would not oppose her again.

NTR wanted to prove that, he got the power by his own image, and not because of Nadendla Bhaskara Rao. He met the Governor Shankar Dayal Sharma and asked to dissolve the assembly. Nadendla told Shankar Dayal that, he was ready to form the government with the opposition parties and Independents. But, Shankar Dayal did not listen to him and dissolved the assembly. After that, he told Nadendla that, Indira Gandhi and P.C.Alexander told him to dissolve the government, and he did not have any other option.

Later on Ex-Home Minister of A.P., M.M.Hasheem asked Indira Gandhi, why she gave back power to NTR. Indira Gandhi told him that, it's all because of P.V.Narasimha Rao. He frightened her a lot. So, she could not do anything else.

In 1991, when P.V.Narasimha Rao contested from Nandyala for Loksabha elections, NTR did not put any candidate against him. At that time, NTR told that, for the first time, a person from Andhra Pradesh is going to be the Prime Minister, and he did not want to create an obstacle in his path. But, Nadendla says, since P.V. supported him in 1984 to get back his power, he did not put the candidate in 1991, and not because of any other reason.

From the book Naa Jeevitha Prasthanam (My Life Journey) by Nadendla Bhaskara Rao.