Whoever promises to solve infrastructure woes wins Malkajgiri: Mynamplli Hanmanth Rao is facing serious challenge

Assembly Constituency- Malkajgiri

District: Medchal–Malkajgiri

MLA: Hanumanth Rao Mynampally (BRS)

Reservation: GEN

Total Voters: 4,51,201

Booths: 411

Urban Voters: 99%

Rural Voters: 1%

Male: 52%

Female: 48%

Caste & Religious Demography:

• Gen + BC: 86.1%
• SC: 12.2%
• ST: 1.7%
• Hindu:84.8%
• Muslim: 7.2%
• Others: 8%

Candidates

Mynampally Hanumanth Rao (Elected from the BRS, shifted his loyalties to the INC)

Hanumanth Rao was born to Mynampally Kishan Rao and Sarojini on January 10, 1966 at Korvipalli village, Shankerampet mandal in Medak district. He pursued his primary education at Shankerampet and Medak. He later studied and settled in the United States of America (USA) by establishing his own companies and ventures.

Hanumanth Rao was married to Vani and has two sons Mynampalli Rohit Rao and Shivank Rao. His elder son Rohit Rao is contesting on behalf of the Congress as an MLA from Medak Assembly constituency in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections. Rao has much interest in social service and politics, so he returned from the USA in 1990. He started social service in the name of Mynampally Social Service Organisation (MSSO), which was later continued by his elder son Rohit. Rao began his political career with the TDP. He was twice elected as an MLA from Ramayampet in 2008 and then from Medak in the 2009 Assembly elections from the TDP.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, he contested as an MP from Malkajgiri on behalf of the TRS and was defeated by TDP candidate Ch Malla Reddy. He served as the president of the Greater Hyderabad TRS unit from 2014 to 2016. In March 2017, Rao was unanimously elected as an MLC from MLAs' quota. On December 12, 2018, Rao resigned as an MLC after he won the Malkajgiri Assembly Constituency as an MLA with a majority of 74,000 votes. In September 2022, he quit the BRS and cited dissatisfaction over ticket distribution. Rao, along with his son Rohit, joined the Congress and is contesting from Malkajgiri constituency in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Marri Rajasekhar Reddy (BRS)

Rajasekhar Reddy was born on June 17, 1970 in Hyderabad. His parents are Lakshman Reddy and Arundhathi Reddy. He is married to Mamatha Reddy and has two children. Drawing inspiration from his father Lakshman Reddy to bring about change in society, he grew up and became the chairman of Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, MLR Institute of Technology and Management and also holds prominent positions in Vardhaman College of Engineering and St. Martin's Institute of Engineering College.

He played an active role in Medchal district during the COVID-19 pandemic and supplied PPE kits and essential commodities to front line warriors. He gave Rs 30 lakh financial assistance to the Chief Minister's relief fund. Rajasekhar Reddy is son-in-law of Telangana Minister for Labour and Employment Ch Malla Reddy. He joined the TRS in 2019 after being attracted by the development works of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). He contested the Malkajigiri Parliament in 2019 and was defeated by INC candidate A Revanth Reddy.

Rajasekhar Reddy served as in-charge of Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency. In April 2023, he was appointed as in-charge of Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly. On October 18, BRS supremo KCR handed over the B-form to Rajasekhar Reddy after Mynampalli Hanumanth Rao's was finalized for the Malkajgiri Assembly constituency in the 2023 Assembly elections. However, Hanumanth Rao resigned from the BRS after his son was denied Medak seat. With this, the BRS leadership has decided to field Rajasekhar Reddy from Malkajgiri in the coming elections and he will take on Congress candidate Mynampally Hanumanth Rao and BJP candidate N Ramchander Rao.

N Ramchander Rao (BJP)

Ramchander Rao was born on April 27, 1959 to NVRLN Rao and Raghava Sita in Hyderabad. He secured a Master of Arts (Political Science) from Osmania University in 1982. He completed LLB from Osmania University in 1985. Rao began his politicial journey while studying at Kendriya Vidyalaya school at Picket during the Emergency period.

For three consecutive years, he was elected as president of the students' union (affiliated to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, (ABVP)) while studying Bachelor of Arts at Railway Degree College. For two terms, he was elected as secretary (ABVP) of Osmania Law College Student Union. He was jailed 14 times during his student years. Rao lost the 2009 election as an MLC for the Graduates’ constituency for Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Mahabubnagar districts.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, he contested from Malkajgiri as an MLA on behalf of the BJP and was defeated by a narrow margin by TRS candidate C Kanaka Reddy. In 2015, he was elected as an MLC from Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad Graduates Constituency in Telangana as a BJP candidate. In the 2018 Assembly elections, he contested from the BJP and was defeated by TRS candidate Mynampally Hanumanth Rao. In 2021, Rao lost to Surabhi Vani Devi in Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Graduates’ constituency MLC elections. In the 2023 Assembly elections, he is contesting from Malkajgiri for the third consecutive term on behalf of the BJP.

Cultural / Historical / Religious Identifiers

• Old Mahankali Temple.
• Safilguda lake
• Kapra Lake
• Ramakrishnapuram Lake
• Neredmet Moodu Gullu
• Moulali Darga
• CSI Church Neredmet
• Ambedkar Nagar Mosque
• Safilguda Katta maisamma temple
• Jamia Masjid-E-Noor mosque
• Hyderabad Kalibari (Vivekanandapuram, Neredmet)
• Bethel Marthoma Church (Old Neredmet)

2014 Assembly elections Analysis:

• The INC vote share and cadre shifted to the TRS.
• The strong Telangana movement wave and presence of loyal party cadre had helped Kanaka Reddy to win the Assembly for the TRS even though he was not a popular face.
• Malas, along with a majority of Reddy communities, had voted for the TRS in this election.
• The BJP gave a tough fight and polled votes from Brahmins, Andhra settlers and BC communities.
• The Congress secured votes of Mala, Christian and ST communities.

2018 Assembly elections Analysis:

• The public was extremely disappointed with TRS candidate Kanaka Reddy, he was not visible on the ground and did not maintain rapport with locals.
• Kanaka Reddy failed to establish a new vegetable market and did not solve Safilguda railway crossing, causing a severe time traffic jam.
• Kanaka Reddy's association with gangster Naim tarnished his image in public.
• The public were happy with the TRS Government schemes which had targeted weaker section groups such as drinking water to all and power distribution, pensions and kalyana lakshmi/shaadi-mubaarak were a hit.
• In 2018, the public wanted the TRS in power and Mynampally Hanumanth Rao was given the ticket.
• Mynampally Hanumanth Rao is a mass leader and well connected with the public because of his NGO’s reach to weaker sections.
• The INC did not even contest and TJS candidate was chosen.
• BJP's Ramchander Rao's was not well connected with the public and focused more on his law firm and mainly consolidated the core Hindu upper caste vote.

Current Situation:

• A lot of cases are going on about Mynampally Hanumanth Rao, people are sick of his corruption/rowdyism and expecting a change in the constituency.
• Medchal-Malkajgiri district Congress committee president Nandikanti Sridhar joined the BRS.
• The BJP has a good cadre in the constituency. Ramchander Rao is not touring the constituency and he is not available for cadre and only present for a few leaders.
• The BJP won three divisions in the GHMC elections.

Key local issues:

• Road construction and development moving at a very slow pace, and the public is terrified with traffic.
• Road project between Ammuguda and Moula-Ali.
• Residents in Malkajgiri have found a novel way to protest about a four-lane road that hasn’t been laid even six years down the line.
• Sewerage systems are in the worst condition, during rains, the sewage overflows and creates problems for the commuters.
• Internal roads
• Bandala Cheruvu problem
• High traffic jam due to many railway lines pacing through the Assembly constituency.