Gangapuram Kishan Reddy’s meteoric rise: Worker to first cabinet minister from Telangana

HYDERABAD: Cutting his political teeth as a Yuva Morcha activist in BJP in 1980, Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, Lok Sabha MP from Secunderabad, has created history by becoming the first cabinet minister from Telangana after the formation of the state in 2014. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday was elevated to the Union cabinet from minister of state for home affairs.
Kishan Reddy was allotted culture and tourism portfolios.
Thanking the Secunderabad parliament constituency voters, he said that he would try his best to work towards realising the dreams of Telangana along with serving the country. Though Bandaru Dattatreya was a minister in the NDA-1, he was not given cabinet rank. Interestingly, after Sudini Jaipal Reddy and Renuka Chowdary from Telangana, who were cabinet ministers in UPA-2, Kishan Reddy made it to the Union cabinet from the state after seven long years.
He was earlier a three-time MLA and BJP floor leader in undivided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana assemblies.
He also served as BJPs state president in the undivided state of AP and also Telangana. In due recognition of his unflinching commitment towards the party, he was appointed national president of the party’s youth wing, BJYM in 2002.
Kishan Reddy undertook a 22-day Telangana ‘Poru Yatra’ — a 3,500-kilometre journey through 986 villages and 88 assembly constituencies stressing the need for formation of Telangana.
Known to be close to vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu , Kishan Reddy is the second cabinet minister after Naidu in the BJP government from Telugu states.
Congratulating Kishan Reddy on his elevation, BJP Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar said his was work was duly recognized. Known as “Kishananna” among party workers, Kishan Reddy hails from Rangareddy district.