Andhra Pradesh assembly election, 1999. He was the chief minister-in-waiting...
Assembly election, 2004. After the manner in which the Congress unexpectedly trounced its opponents in Andhra Pradesh, the wait is finally over for the 'Cuddapah Tiger.'
Dr Yedugoori Sandinti Rajasekhar Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president and architect of the Congress' stupendous victory, is all set to become the state's new chief minister.
Today, jubilant Congress MLAs met at the state assembly to elect their leader. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress Working Committee representative in charge of AP, and Congress leader Shivraj Patil supervised the process, which was seen as a mere formality.
After all, YSR, as Dr Reddy is popularly known, is the man who has revived the Congress. He walked 5,500 km through the gruelling Andhra heat to bond with the electorate. His tapasya impressed the Telugus who decided to give the Congress a 'hand'.
YSR talks to the people during his padayatra.
Photographs: courtesy: www.ysrportal.com