Redya Naik exudes confidence of his victory in Dornakal; Congress, BJP lack leadership

Assembly Constituency- Dornakal

District: Mahabubabad

MLA: Dharamsoth Redya Naik (BRS)

Reservation: ST

Total Voters: 2,08,648

Booths: 256

Urban Voters: 5%

Rural Voters: 95%

Male: 49.55%

Female: 50.45%

Caste & Religious Demography

• Gen + BC: 46.30%
• SC: 14.10%
• ST: 39.60%
• Hindu: 96%
• Muslim: 3%
• Others : 1.00%

Candidates

Dharamsoth Redya Naik (BRS)

Redya Naik was born on August 20, 1952 to Ramu Naik and Mangamma in Uggampally in Warangal district. He hails from an agricultural family. He pursued a Bachelor of Arts course from Arts & Science College, Hanamkonda. He was a member of the Telangana Land Assignment Committee from 1978 to 1980. He was the director of the Agriculture Market Committee, Kesamudram.

In 1981, he was elected as a sarpanch from Maripeda. From 1981 to 1986, he worked as a president of Panchayat Samiti, Maripeda. He began his political career with the Congress. In the 1989 Assembly elections, he became an MLA for the first time on behalf of the Congress from Dornakal Assembly constituency with the highest majority of 46,645 votes. From 1994 to 2009 Assembly elections, he became an MLA for three consecutive terms. He served as a chairman of the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Tribes, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for three years.

In the 2009 Assembly elections, he was defeated by TDP candidate Sathyavathi Rathod. He shifted his loyalties to the TRS (now BRS) from the Congress. In the 2014 and 2018 Assembly elections, he was elected as an MLA on behalf of the TRS. In 2019, he was appointed as the chairman of the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Tribes. He is a six-time MLA. In the 2023 Assembly elections, he is contesting as an MLA for third time on behalf of the BRS and is going to take on Congress candidate Jatoth Ram Chandru Naik and BJP candidate Bhukya Sangeetha.

Jatoth Ram Chandru Naik (Congress)

Ram Chandru Naik is a doctor. He began his political career with the TDP. In the 2014 Assembly elections, he contested as an MLA for the first time from Dornakal Assembly constituency. He was defeated by Congress candidate DS Redya Naik. He shifted his loyalties to the Congress. In the 2018 Assembly elections, he was defeated by BRS candidate DS Redya Naik. He is serving as in-charge of Dornakal Assembly constituency. In the 2023 Assembly elections, he is contesting as an MLA for the third time from Dornakal Assembly constituency.

Bhukya Sangeetha (BJP)

Sangeetha is a tribal leader and began her political journey with the TRS (now BRS). In 2009, she was elected as a ZPTC member from Narsimhulupeta with a majority of 10,000 votes. She shifted her loyalties to the BJP from the BRS in September. She is a novice and is contesting as an MLA for the first time from Dornakal Assembly constituency.

Assembly constituency information

Background: In 2009, due to delimitation, the constituency was categorised as a ST reserved seat. Out of the 16 elections- the Congress INC and the Congress (I) won 14 times. The TDP and the TRS once each.

About: Reddies own a lot of land and their community highly influences local politics.

Geography: Dornakal, Maripeda, Narsimhulapet, Kuravi, Chinna Gudur and Danthalapally are mandals in this constituency. Dornakal is a railway junction.

2014 Assembly elections Analysis

• Redya Naik from the Congress contested and won the seat. He is a popular Lambada leader in this region. He was able to get the majority of Lambada votes because of his popularity in the community.
• TRS candidate Satyavathi contested against him but lost. She secured votes from the SC and the BC communities because of her TDP connection. She was able to pull the TDP vote.
• The TDP and the BJP alliance did not achieve their desired result, due to lack of strong leaders and cadre.

2018 Assembly elections Analysis:

• Redya Naik who won as an MLA from the Congress in 2014 shifted his loyalties to the TRS in 2015.
• Redya Naik secured the TRS ticket, he contested against Congress candidate Ram Chandru Naik and defeated him by securing 51 per cent of votes.
• Redya Naik got support from TRS leader Satyavathi Rathod and was able to get support from the lambada community.
• The Congress and TDP alliance did not achieve their desired results due to last-minute ticket allocations
• The BJP did not give much fight it secured less than one per cent of votes.

Current Situation

• The BRS is active on the ground. However there is anti-incumbency among the people due to lack of infrastructure, basic amenities, health care facilities and educational institutions.
• The INC is not active on ground
• The BJP is lacking leadership at the constituency level.

Key local issues

• Mahabubabad-Kuravi road
• Infrastructure
• Healthcare facilities
• Educational institutions