Know Your MLA: From ‘Vakil Saab’ to Minister

Manthani: Duddilla Sridhar Babu, who had studied Law in JNU, New Delhi and continued his legal career in the High Court while preparing for Civil Services exams, entered politics due to the sudden death of his father, Duddilla Sripada Rao (Buchi Pantulu), the Speaker of the united Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

He served as the President of Karimnagar Joint District Congress for a long time. He worked as a minister and member of TTD as a Government Whip during the reign of ex-CM late YSR. Sridhar Babu served as the Minister of Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology and Legislative Affairs in the Government of Andhra Pradesh before bifurcation of the State.

He won as an MLA from Manthani constituency in 2018 and 2023 assembly elections in Telangana. This is his fifth term as MLA. Sridhar Babu is one of the seniormost leaders in Telangana Congress Party and served as the State party general secretary, Karnataka in-charge till July 2022. Sridhar Babu is the fourth of six children of Sripada Rao and Jayamma. He was born on March 9, 1969 and graduated from Delhi University. After his father was killed by Naxalites in 1999, he practiced as a lawyer in the Andhra Pradesh High Court before entering politics. A keen cricketer in his student days, he represented Nizam College, University of Hyderabad.

He married an IAS officer Shailaja Ramaiyar of the Telangana cadre while he was an MLA. The couple has two children. Sridhar Babu is known for doing development work in the backward area of Manthani since he was a member of the Legislative Assembly and has always been close to the people of the area. He surpassed his father Sripada Rao’s and former PM late PV Narasimha Rao's record by winning five times from Manthani assembly seat. He won the 1999 election from Manthani on a Congress ticket. Later, he won consecutively in 2004 and 2009. He lost in 2014 and won twice in 2018 and then in 2023. Sripada Rao and Narsimha Rao won the most number of times from Manthani.

During Sridhar Babu's regime, JNTU, Chinna Kaleshwaram, model schools for all mandals in the division, Govt. ITI, polytechnic, junior colleges for each mandal, horticulture college, beautification of Manthani Tank with about Rs 75 crore, ITDA, degree college were set up in the constituency. The Minister along with his younger brother Seenu Babu is providing various services, especially to the students through Sripada Charitable Trust.