Indra Reddy

Patlolla Indra Reddy (1954–2000) was a four-term member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, former Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh state and founder of Jai Telangana Party.

Born on 4 October 1954 at Kowkuntla village in Chevella Mandal Ranga Reddy district to a poor farming family, Reddy studied MA and LLB in Osmania University. He was the elected Law College Student Union President. Indra Reddy was arrested during the emergency for 18 months. After his release he was elected as sarpanch of his village before he joined the TDP in 1985.

Indra was elected to the State Assembly four times. He was first elected on a Telugu Desam Party ticket in 1985 and served as a minister for education and then a minister for labour and employment in the N T Rama Rao Cabinet. He was re-elected on a TDP ticket in 1989 and 1994. He was minister for home, jails and fire services in the NTR cabinet of 1994–95.

During the August 1995 crisis in the TDP, when N T Rama Rao was toppled by his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu in a party and family coup, Indra Reddy remained with NTR. After NTR's death in January 1996, Reddy joined Lakshmi Parvathi's party but soon fell out with her and joined the Congress. He was re-elected to the assembly in the September 1999 poll on a Congress ticket.

Electoral history

Year Constituency Party Votes % Opponent Result Margin 1985 Chevella TDP 49,944 64.91% K. Vikram Kumar Reddy (INC) Won 24,960 1989 55,274 51.52% K. Vikram Kumar Reddy (INC) Won 4,213 1994 77,284 63.89% Patlolla Kista Reddy (INC) Won 38,443 1999 INC 73,425 51.52% K. Laxma Reddy (TDP) Won 9,840

Telangana Movement

He floated a political party called the "Jai Telangana Party" in the pursuit of a separate state of Telangana. Later this party was merged into the Congress party on the promise of its support for a Telangana state.

Death and legacy

He died in a road accident. According to the police, the accident occurred at Palmakuru village near Shamshabad between 0030 and 0100 hrs when the car carrying Reddy rammed into a stationary lorry. Reddy, 46, was accompanied by the Rangareddy District Congress Committee president, two gunmen and the driver. Reddy was returning from his native place -- Chevella – after attending a marriage.

He was succeeded by his wife and three sons. His wife Mrs. Sabitha Indra Reddy was later elected as MLA and she was also a minister in Congress Government.