Seethakka: Once a Naxalite, now Minister

Hyderabad : As an MLA who always remains available for her constituency’s people, Dansari Anasuya, well-known as Seethakka, was able to win for the third consecutive term in the Assembly elections.

The loud cheers she received from the crowds during swearing in reflected her image amongst the constituents. After she was administered the oath of office by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, the first thing she did after being greeted by Revanth was to receive blessings of Sonia Gandhi at L B Stadium.

Born in an Adivasi Koya tribe, she was a Naxalite before joining politics. Exposed to the movement she became part of Janashakti Naxal group when she was 14 in the year 1897. Later after more than a decade, she decided to surrender under the general amnesty plan in 1997. Later she studied Law and completed her doctorate from Osmania University.

Seethakka's political career began in 2004, contesting as a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate in the Mulugu constituency. Although she faced defeat against the Congress candidate, PodemVeeraiah, she remained undeterred. In the 2009 elections, she contested on a grand alliance ticket and secured victory against Veeraiah, marking her entry into the Assembly for the first time. Following her defeat to BRS candidate AjmeeraChandulal in 2014 after the formation of Telangana, she decided to join Congress, marking a new chapter in her political journey. The decision to join Congress party paid off and in 2018 she trounced Ajmeera and secured a resounding victory with a majority of over 22,000 votes. This triumph not only demonstrated her unwavering commitment to public service but also cemented her position within the party. In the recently held elections Seethakka was able to retain the seat.