Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao

Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao (born 12 February 1941) is an Indian politician from Telangana, associated with Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as Governor of Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019. As a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, he had served as a Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government from 1999. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999 (13th Lok Sabha) from Karimnagar (Lok Sabha constituency).

Early life He was born in Nagaram, Sircilla district on 12 February 1941 to C. Srinivasa Rao and Chandramma. He has three brothers. He completed his schooling in Vemulawada, PUC in Hyderabad, B.Sc. in Nanded of Maharashtra and later studied law at Osmania University.

Legal and political career

As a lawyer and politician After completion of law, he started working as lawyer. He was elected as convener (Chairman) of Janasangh, Karimnagar in 1972. He went to jail during the emergency period. He represented the BJP in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Metpally assembly segment from 1985 to 1998 and entered into the Parliament by winning Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency in 1998 and in 1999. He was also the BJP state president in 1998. His leadership in assembly has lifted party's profile in the state. Shri Rao had been Floor Leader of his party in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for 15 years. He was successful in piloting a private member’s bill in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly that sought stringent punishment for people practicing bigamy. His Padyatra to Ichampalli in the year 1998 as the then BJP president highlighting the need to utilize Godavari waters for the needs of the people of Telangana led the Government to consider the project seriously.

As a minister He was Union minister of State for Home affairs in the cabinet of Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1999. Later, his portfolio was changed to Union Minister of state for Commerce and Industry.

As a governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, as the Governor of Maharashtra while the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu was giving away Mint’s Corporate Strategy Awards, in Mumbai on March 23, 2018. He was appointed a governor of Maharashtra on 30 August 2014. His appointment was issued by 13th President of India, Mr.Pranab Mukherjee after the resignation of K. Sankaranarayanan. His oath was administered by Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Mohit Shah. On 26 September 2014, he accepted the resignation of Prithviraj Chavan as his party had no majority, and President's Rule was imposed on Maharashtra. thumb C. Vidyasagar Rao at his swearing-in ceremony as the additional charge-Governor of Tamil Nadu in September 2016 He held additional charge as governor of Tamil Nadu from 2 September 2016 to 6 October 2017.

Electoral History Lok Sabha Year ConstituencyParty Votes % OpponentParty Votes % Result Margin % 1980Karimnagar 45,449 12.64 M. Satyanarayana Rao 201,777 56.12 −156,328 −43.48 1998 329,030 42.83 Lgandula Ramana 233,033 30.33 +95,997 +12.50 1999 398,437 49.73 Anand Rao Chelimeda 379,067 47.31 +19,370 +2.42 2004 320,031 36.60 K. Chandra Shakher Rao 451,199 51.60 −131,168 −15.00 2014 214,828 19.06 Vinod Kumar Boinapally 505,358 44.83 −290,530 −25.77

Personal life His wife's name is Vinoda. His elder brothers are C. Rajeshwara Rao, a former Communist leader, C. Hanumantha Rao who was the chancellor of Hyderabad Central University and C. Venkateshwara Rao.