Komatireddy Venkat Reddy (born 23 May 1965) is an Indian politician and currently serves as the cabinet minister of Roads & Buildings and Cinematography in Telangana.[6] He served as a MLA for the Nalgonda Constituency for 20 years consecutively, following which he served as a Member of Parliament of Bhuvanagiri Parliament Constituency from 2019 to 2023.
He joined the Congress Party in 1986 as NSUI District in charge and has worked his way up. He has been the star campaigner of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, known for his unwavering participation in the formation of the State of Telangana and some revolutionary development in Nalgonda.[7][8] He was the Deputy Floor Leader, Telangana Congress Legislative Party.
Early life and education
Komatireddy Venkat Reddy was born on 23 May 1965 as the 8th of the nine children of a farmer, Papi Reddy in Brahmana Vellemla village, Narketpally, Nalgonda district, Telangana.[9] Komatireddy Venkat Reddy attended Amarajeevi Potti Sreeramulu High School. He is a notable alumnus of Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad in 1986 where he pursued Bachelors of Civil Engineering (BE).[10]
Political career
Youth politics
Right from the inception of his career, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy was actively involved in Youth Politics. He always believed that societal change is unprecedented in its pace, scope and depth of impact and everyone is bound to get into reforming it the right way. During his graduation in 1986, he acted as NSUI District Incharge and brought in new agendas such as educational and university reforms.[11]
Komatireddy won as a candidate from Nalgonda assembly constituency four times, in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. He was a Minister for Information Technology in YS Rajasekhar Reddy's government.[12] He served as minister for ports. In 2019 he was again elected as Member of Parliament from Bhuvanagiri constituency.
Venkat Reddy has held the following positions;[13]
Year
Description
1999
Elected in Assembly elections
Member of Legislative Assembly, MLA
Fight to end Fluorosis - Fought for the heart-wrenching problem of Fluorosis
2004
Elected in Assembly elections
Member of Legislative Assembly, MLA
Facilitated infrastructure development in the constituency.
2009
Elected in Assembly elections
Minister for Information Technology, Sports, Youth, Communications
Minister for Airports, Ports, Natural Gas Industries
Facilitated the increase in Jobs via the inflow of multiple MNCs in Hyderabad
Introduced incentives for badminton players such as Saina Nehwal and others during the Commonwealth Games
Fight to end Fluorosis - Fought for the heart-wrenching problem of Fluorosis (deadly amounts of fluoride mixed in groundwater)- leading to 10,000 residents with crippling diseases. Komatireddy Venkat Reddy took a bottle of fluoride-infected water to the assembly in protest - bringing the issue to the front stage. Went on a hunger strike in March 2003, to demand the completion of the drinking water problem. He organized a march of fluoride victims to the governor’s house. The ruling party, TDP had then announced 177Cr to the Panagal Project to supply drinking water for 112 villages.
In 2004, he was elected for the 2nd term as the MLA of Nalgonda Facilitated infrastructure development in the constituency. Due to his proposals, Govt. sanctioned Rs.2900Cr to the SLBC project to irrigate the drought-prone Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar Districts. Sanctioned funds for the Bramhana Vellemla Project
He was elected for the 3rd time in 2009, consecutively from Nalgonda; and became a Cabinet Minister of the Andhra Pradesh State. He held the following portfolio’s during his tenure - as an IT, Sports, Youth and TeleCommunications, Airports & Ports, and Natural Gas Cabinet Minister in Andhra Pradesh under the Late Y.S.Rajashekar Reddy’s Government.
As IT Minister - Facilitated the increase in Jobs via the inflow of multiple MNCs in Hyderabad - Second tower of TCS 46 acre campus. As Sports Minister - Introduced incentives for badminton players such as Saina Nehwal and others during the Commonwealth games After re-arrangement of Ministries - Got inducted as the Minister of Ports, Airports, and Natural Gas Industries.
He stood at the forefront of the Telangana Agigation for a Separate State, and also resigned to his Ministry for this purpose.
In 2014, he was elected for the 4th time as Nalgonda MLA in Telangana State. Served as Deputy Floor leader in the Legislative Assembly Spoke up against the unjust rule of the TRS Party, and raised many important issues in the state
In 2017, he went on a 72-hour hunger strike along with families in Nalgonda, who had lost their loved ones due to the non-availability of medical services, urging then-Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, to keep his promise of sanctioning a medical college to Nalgonda.
In 2019, he was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha as a Congress Party Member of Parliament from Bhongir. He served as a Member of the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, Member Consultative Committee, Ministry of Finance (India), and Corporate Affairs.
Achievements as MP
Construction of the newly declared National highway NH 930P: From the junction of Outer Ring Road at Gourelli to Kothagudem conversion of 4 lanes of NH 65 from LB Nagar to Malkapur connecting Hyderabad to Vijayawada.
He sanctioned 2 cluster development projects under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) for weavers. Steps were taken to bring medical facilities and related latest equipment for about Rs.970 Cr. for AIIMS hospital in Bibinagar Sanctioning of an indoor sports stadium in Bhongir Town for about Rs.200 Cr.
As a Member of the Standing Committee on Coal and Steel- Steps were taken to benefit save governments exchequer of around Rs.30,000Cr for the work of a selection of Mine Developer cum Operator (MDO) for the development and operation of Naina Coal Mine situated in Odisha state by Singareni Collieries Co.Ltd. by canceling of Initial tenders and later allotting their coal blocks by calling new tenders. Raised 341 questions in Parliament, which is higher in number than any other Parliamentarian in Telangana.
Telangana agitation
In 2011, he went on an indefinite fast in support of the Telangana agitation in Nalgonda. The police forcibly took him to the NIMS hospital as his health deteriorated during the 7th/9th day of his fast he continued his fast in the hospital and refused to take medical treatment. He did not heed the advice of even fellow Telangana Congress leaders to call off his fast, stirring a huge revolution. A large number of Telangana activists visited NIMS and expressed solidarity with the fasting Congress leader, causing the state government and the Congress high command to understand the urgency of the matter. He is the second leader in history to resign from his post after Konda Laxman Bapuji for Telangana. Hence, playing a key role in achieving a Separate Telangana.
He also played a key role in other protests for students’ deaths. Watching young students in Telangana, he tendered his resignation as a minister and continued to fight in the Assembly.
Philanthropy
The Komatireddy Prateek Foundation was established by him in memory of his son Prateek Reddy, who met with an accident on 20 December 2011 on Outer Ring Road in Hyderabad.[24] At a cost of Rs 3.5 crore by the Foundation, he undertook the building of the Prateek Memorial Government Junior College for Boys and Vocational Junior College for Girls in Nalgonda.[25] He operates ambulance services under this organization and runs awareness campaigns for road safety. Every year, Komatireddy Prateek Foundation conducts job mela and provides job opportunities to many unemployed youth in Telangana.[26]
