Marginalised communities help Kavya to become MLA

Nellore: Kavali TDP MLA Daggumati Venkata Krishna Reddy (DVKR), popularly known as Kavya Krishna Reddy, has secured his position with the strong backing of the underprivileged and marginalised communities, as well as traders from the Vaisya and Kamma communities. Interestingly, he gained more support from these groups than from his own Reddy community in the Kavali assembly segment.

Known for his simple lifestyle and close interactions with the people, particularly weaker sections, Kavya Krishna Reddy successfully turned the anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling government and the sitting MLA into votes. This led him to a resounding victory over YSR Congress Party nominee Ramireddy Prathapkumar Reddy, with a majority of 30,948 votes in the 2024 elections.

At 52, Kavya Krishna Reddy, son of Daggumati Lakshmi Reddy, comes from a poor agricultural family in Brahmana Kraka Agraharam village of Jaladanki mandal, Udayagiri constituency. After completing his post-graduation in Arts from SV University, he worked as a lecturer in a private college, struggling to make ends meet.

This challenging experience motivated him to focus on earning money, leading him to start a small real estate business named after his daughter, Kavya Real Estate. As his real estate ventures flourished, he gained popularity and began to be known as Kavya Krishna Reddy.

Around 2004, during the tenure of late Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, he joined the Congress party and won the Jaladanki society president election on the Congress banner. Within six months, he was elected as MPP for Jaladanki in the ZPTC and MPTC elections, marking his turning point in politics.

During this period, he expanded his real estate business and ventured into several projects in both Nellore and Chittoor districts. He also started a cottage industry, Quarry (Blue Metal), providing employment to around 1,500 people.

Despite political challenges, he joined TDP and was initially overlooked for the Udayagiri constituency ticket in the 2014 and 2019 elections. However, his dedication to the party did not go unnoticed by Chandrababu Naidu, who offered him the Kavali assembly ticket in the 2024 elections.

Despite the efforts of former Allur MLA Katamreddy Vishnuvardhan Reddy and YSRCP Rajya Sabha member Beedha Masthan Rao to prevent his victory, Krishna Reddy registered a landslide victory. This result was a setback for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had high hopes for a hat-trick victory in the Kavali and Sarvepalle assembly segments.

Reflecting on his victory, Kavya Krishna Reddy told The Hans India, “It is not my victory alone. I was elected with the strong support of people in Kavali constituency. People and party leaders worked hard to bring TDP to power and make Chandrababu Naidu the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh”.