Obituary: PV Chalapathi Rao, BJP leader from north Andhra who was with party from Jan Sangh days, passes away at 87

Modi, other BJP leaders offer condolences

Chalapathi Rao is survived by a son and two daughters. His son PVN Madhav is an MLC from the north Andhra Graduates constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders including party chief JP Nadda and Sunil Deodhar, national secretary and co-in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, offered condolences over the demise.

Shri PV Chalapathi Rao Garu will be remembered for his outstanding service and patriotic zeal. He will remain a source of inspiration for countless BJP Karyakartas. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2023

Deeply saddened to know about the demise of the First State President of BJP in united AP & former MLC, Sri PV Chalapathi Rao Garu.

His service to @BJP4India will be unparalleled.

My condolences to his family. I pray to God to grant Sadgati to the departed soul.

Om Shanti🙏 pic.twitter.com/EKbZeJuz73

— Sunil Deodhar (@Sunil_Deodhar) January 1, 2023

From Jan Sangh era

Chalapathi Rao played a crucial role in north Andhra in strengthening the saffron party and its affiliates like the ABVP.

He joined the RSS in 1945 as Bala Swayam Sevak. In 1948, when the RSS was banned, he played an active role as a communication channel between the Sangh workers.

During the Rayalaseema drought in 1951, along with other swayam sevaks, he collected money and relief material from different parts of the state to help the drought-affected Rayalaseema people, said BJP state president Somu Veerraju.

భారతీయ జనతా పార్టీ పూర్వ అద్యక్షులు పెద్దలు శ్రీ పి.వి చలపతిరావు గారి మరణవార్త తీవ్ర దిగ్భ్రాంతికి గురిచేసింది. వారి సారథ్యంలో చేసిన ప్రజా పోరాటాలు, ఉద్యమాలు నా రాజకీయ జీవితంలో అనేక స్మృతులను నింపాయి. (1/2)@blsanthosh @JPNadda pic.twitter.com/KgHtmfM6sr

— Somu Veerraju / సోము వీర్రాజు (@somuveerraju) January 1, 2023

From 1950 to 1954, Chalapathi Rao started ABVP units in various colleges and universities in and around Visakhapatnam. On Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s call in 1953 to organise Bharatiya Jana Sangh’s (BJS) activities in the district, he initiated various steps and was successful in getting four councillors elected to the Anakapalli municipality.

In 1955, he participated in the Goa liberation movement.  Later, he also organised an agitation in the north Andhra region against Chinese aggression on the border and collected funds to help the soldiers.

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Quit government job

From 1959 to 1966, Chalapathi Rao joined the state government as an industrial extension officer but left the job after a request from party workers to contest in the AP Legislature Assembly elections from Anakapalli Assembly constituency on a Jan Sangh ticket in 1967.

A graduate with three degrees, BSc, BA, and BL,  Chalapathi Rao enrolled in the bar council in 1966 and fought for the causes of social justice.

He took an active part in the 1967–1968 Visakha Steel Plant agitation and organised a movement in 1969 for the construction of the full-time Polavaram Project on river Godavari.

In 1970, he quit advocate practice and became a full-time worker for the Jana Sangh. He spearheaded the separate Andhra movement from 1972 to 1973 and got arrested several times during the agitation. He served on the board of directors in the Bharatiya Vidya Kendram, which has more than 40 educational institutions in coastal areas, from 1970 to 1974.

Chalapathi Rao, a hero during Emergency

Chalapathi Rao was also elected Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) of Andhra Pradesh from the graduate constituency of North Sarkar Districts in 1974. In 1980, he was re-elected from the same constituency and held the office till the AP Legislative Council was abolished in 1986.

He was the state secretary for Loka Sangarshan Samithi during the Emergency and organised underground activity for 19 months. He openly challenged the government of Andhra Pradesh to arrest him during the Emergency.

Chalapathi Rao signed the Legislative Council meetings and escaped from the police. The AP government failed to nab him and tales about him jumping from trains, adopting disguises, etc., to escape from police during the underground movement were very popular in the north Andhra region.

Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Sri PV Chalapathi Rao ‘Guruvu Garu’ Ji. His role during our party’s formative years in Andhra Pradesh & his decades of service to the party will forever inspire every karyakarta. My condolences to his family & supporters. Om Shanti.

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) January 1, 2023

He met all the leaders both in and outside jail including Congress leaders. He created tension in the administration through a hectic underground movement to enlighten people against the Emergency.

Chalapathi Rao voluntarily surrendered to the government in a historical public meeting amidst lakhs of anxious people on 10 February 1977, after giving a challenge to it to arrest him before that.

BJP’s first mayor in South India

He took up a fast-unto-death for 14 days in 1978 for the cause of workers in BHPV Visakhapatnam and created history by ensuring 500 workers got permanent jobs. Later, around 1,200 workers were made permanent in Military Engineer Services (MES) due to his sustained efforts.

From 1980 to 1986, he served as the Andhra state president of the BJP. During his tenure, in 1981, he played a key role in getting the BJP the first mayor in South India from the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.

From 1986 to 1999, he served in different positions in the Andhra Pradesh BJP State Committee. From 1999, he served as a national executive Member of the BJP.

Remembering even grass-roots workers by name, being in constant touch with them, and helping those in need are the traits of Chalapathi Rao that still inspire us, said Veerraju.

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