In his entire political career spanning six decades, veteran Congress leader and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah faced his last nervous challenge on a day when the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's helicopter went missing on September 2, 2009, less than an hour after it took off from the Begumpet airport.
Tension prevailed in the Secretariat as officials and others made dire efforts to know the whereabouts of the Chief Minister's helicopter. The officials and Congress leaders, who reached C Block of the Secretariat after learning about the missing chopper, recalled how Rosaiah had handled the situation when everyone was unaware of Reddy's well being.
A top official told The Hindu that after a Reddy's Bell 430 helicopter failed to land in Chittoor district, a senior staff member from the Chief Minister's Office called all ministers and senior officials.
“Mr. Rosaiah first reached inside the C Block chamber of Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy. Then immediately, he got into a tussle with the officials present in the meeting hall of the then chief secretary K. Ramakanta Reddy in the same block,” the official recalled.
Chief Secretary, Additional DG Intelligence K. Along with Arvind Rao, the chiefs of the CIB and Greyhounds, Rosaiah reviewed the situation and asked the officials to devise a plan to locate YSR's chopper.
“During the meeting, he was saying that YSR would return safely. Even if he is lost in the forest, he will emerge spotless,” Mr. Rosaiah reportedly said to the officials and his ministerial colleagues, even as he urged everyone to ensure the charismatic leader's safe return. requested to pray for
Despite his advanced age, Rosaiah did not heed the suggestion of officials and ministers to rest. He stayed at C Block, monitoring all calls and coordinating with officials and ministers and talking to the Congress leadership in Delhi to apprise them of the situation.
Another police officer, who was closely involved in the reviews that day, said that Rosaiah and others at one time expressed apprehension that something might have gone wrong. They went to the extent of speculating that even if YSR's helicopter landed in the forest area, especially in the forests of Nalamalla in Kurnool/Prakasam districts, he would come out fearlessly.
“It was discussed that day whether YSR was abducted by Naxals or if his chopper had made an emergency landing in the forest area. Dozens of Greyhound personnel and others were sent to Nalamalla forest by evening on suspicion that he might have been trapped in the dense forest,” said the police officer on condition of anonymity.
Finally, on the evening of 2 September 2009, Rosaiah announced through the media that the helicopter carrying the YSR was missing and made an open appeal to the people to search for their beloved leader. The next day, after the wreckage of the helicopter was found near Pavuralgutta in Kurnool district, Rosaiah took oath as the caretaker chief minister.