Jayalalithaa and three Telugu governors

HYDERABAD: Three Telugu governors have played a role in Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha's life.

Marri Channa Reddy was governor of Tamil Nadu when Jayalalitha was CM in the 90s. Their feud was almost a public spectacle with Channa Reddy ascertaining his authority and Jayalalitha making attempts to cut him down to size. Channa Reddy's actions demonstrated enough that he had no great regard for Jayalalitha.

Another Telugu man, K Rosaiah was governor of Tamil Nadu. In May this year,he administered the oath of office to Jayalalitha as chief minister. Unlike Channa Reddy, Rosaiah maintained a good rapport with Jayalalitha. Rosaiah had quit as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh following which the Congress gave him the gubernatorial post in TN.

Now at the time of her death, a Telugu man is the governor. Ch Vidyasagar Rao is governor, both of TN and Maharashtra. He rushed to Chennai from Maharashtra on Sunday on learning about Jayalalitha's critical health condition.

Another person with whom Jayalalitha had a good rapport was someone from her own fraternity - the film industry, before she joined politics. She acted opposite N T Rama Rao in a dozen movies. When N T Rama Rao came to power with his TDP in Andhra Pradesh, she made it a point to be there for the swearing-in ceremony.

She also acted alongside Akkineni Nageshwara Rao, Kantha Rao,Shobhan Babu and Krishna.

Some of the films she acted as a heroine with N T Rama Rao in the lead include Gopaludu Bhoopaludu, Kathanayakudu, Adarsha Kutumbam, and Bharya Biddalu.