The political history of the united Karimnagar district shows a striking pattern. Many of its leaders first earned the trust of people as sarpanches. This early connection with the community created strong foundations that later powered their rise through the political ranks. From ward members to MLAs and ministers, many leaders carried the wisdom they gained in village governance into state politics.
Leaders Who Rose From the Grassroots
Dullipala Sripada Rao stands as one of the finest examples. He served as the sarpanch of Dhanwada twice starting in 1971. His leadership and grassroots experience paved the way for his election as Speaker of the Assembly. He also served as vice president of the Mahadevpur Samithi and won three MLA terms.
Juvvadi Rathnakar Rao followed a similar path. After winning the sarpanch post of Thimmapur twice, he became the Jagtial Samithi president. He won the Buggaram MLA seat three times and served as endowments minister in the Y S Rajasekhar Reddy Cabinet.
Nyalakonda Ramkishan Rao also grew through local governance. He served as the sarpanch of Gangadhara until 1985, won twice as Choppadandi MLA, and became a minister in 1995. Captain Laxmikantha Rao and Suddala Devaiah also began as sarpanches and later held ministerial positions.
A Unique Father–Son Political Journey
The district also witnessed a rare political journey where both father and son served as sarpanches of the same village. Captain Laxmikantha Rao, who later became a minister and Rajya Sabha MP, led Singapur village from 1981 to 1994. His son Vodithala Satish Kumar continued the legacy from 1995 to 2001. He later won the Husnabad Assembly seat in 2014 and 2018.
Sarpanches Who Reached Legislative Power
Suddala Devaiah began as the sarpanch of Antargam village. He became the chairman of the Karimnagar Zilla Parishad. He later won Assembly elections from the Nerella constituency in 1994 and 1999. He also served as minister for state cooperation and labour and won again as Choppadandi MLA in 2009.
Katukam Mruthyunjayam started as a ward member in Gambhiraopet in 1981. He won the Karimnagar MLA seat in 1983 and later became the Congress district president. Velichala Jagapathi Rao rose from sarpanch of Gundi village in Ramadagu mandal to become an independent MLA from Karimnagar in 1989. Arepalli Mohan served twice as sarpanch of Manakondur and moved up to ZPTC and Zilla Parishad chairman. He became Manakondur MLA in 2009 and served as Government Whip.
From Local Duty to State Responsibility
The list continues with many other leaders. Gujjala Ramakrishna Reddy served as sarpanch of Kammarikhanpet from 1988 to 1995. He later became vice president of Dharmaram Mandal Parishad and ZPTC member before winning as Peddapalli MLA in 1999. Geetla Mukunda Reddy spent eleven years as sarpanch starting in 1971 and went on to win three terms as Peddapalli MLA. Kalva Ramchandra Reddy, who won during the TD wave in 1985, earlier served as sarpanch of Kalvasrirampur. Birudu Rajamallu first won as sarpanch of Sultanabad in 1981. He became the first MPP of Sultanabad and later served as Peddapalli MLA from 1994 to 1999. Chandupatla Ram Reddy began as sarpanch of Khammampalli in 1971 and later won the Manthani MLA seat in 1994.
Grassroots Leadership That Built a Political Generation
These stories reflect a powerful truth. In Karimnagar, village leadership has shaped an entire generation of influential public representatives. The sarpanch role acted as a political classroom. It taught leaders how to understand people, resolve conflicts, and earn trust. Many of the district’s most influential MLAs and ministers carried these lessons throughout their careers.
The united Karimnagar district stands as a remarkable example of how strong village governance can create strong state leadership.
The post From Village Leadership to State Power: How Sarpanches Shaped Karimnagar’s Political Legacy appeared first on Telugu360.
From Village Leadership to State Power: How Sarpanches Shaped Karimnagar’s Political Legacy
