Sabitha Indra Reddy

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = The Minister for Home and Jails, Andhra Pradesh, Smt. Sabitha Indra Reddy addressing the gathering during Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, at Maheswaram, Rangareddy district, Andhra Pradesh on August 03, 2010.jpg

| caption =

| name = Sabitha Indra Reddy

| office1 = Minister of Education
Government of Telangana

| term_start1 = 8 September 2019

| term_end1 = 6 December 2023

| governor1 = Tamilisai Soundararajan

| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister

| 1namedata1 = K. Chandrashekar Rao

| predecessor1 = Kadiyam Srihari

| successor1 = Chief Minister of Telangana

| office2 = Member of Legislative Assembly, Telangana

| termstart2 = 11 December 2018

| predecessor2 = Teegala Krishna Reddy

| constituency2 = Maheshwaram

| office4 = Minister of Handlooms,
Textiles and Spinning Mills, Mines and Geology
Government of Andhra Pradesh

| term_start4 = 14 May 2004

| term_end4 = 20 May 2009

| governor4 =

| 1blankname4 = Chief Minister

| 1namedata4 = Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy

| predecessor4 = Uma Madhava Reddy

| successor4 = Balineni Srinivasa Reddy

| office3 = Minister of Home, Jails, Fire Services, Sainik Welfare, Disaster Management & Printing and Stationary
Government of Andhra Pradesh

| term_start3 = 25 May 2009

| term_end3 = 26 May 2013

| governor3 =

| 1blankname3 = Chief Minister

| 1namedata3 =

| predecessor3 = Kunduru Jana Reddy

| successor3 = Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy

| office5 = Member of Legislative Assembly
Andhra Pradesh

| term_start5 = 2009

| term_end5 = 2014

| predecessor5 = Teegala Krishna Reddy

| successor5 = Telangana Assembly Created

| constituency5 = Maheshwaram

| term_start6 = 2000

| term_end6 = 2009

| predecessor6 = P. Indra Reddy

| successor6 = Korani Sayanna Ratnam

| constituency6 = Chevella

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|05|05|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Medak, Andhra Pradesh(now Telangana, India)

| spouse = P. Indra Reddy

| children = 3{{cite news |last1=Deccan Chronicle |first1= |title=Beyond all boundaries |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/100716/beyond-all-boundaries.html |access-date=17 April 2022 |date=10 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417092715/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/100716/beyond-all-boundaries.html |archive-date=17 April 2022 |language=en}}

| residence =

| party = Bharat Rashtra Samithi
(2019 - Present)

| otherparty = Indian National Congress
(2000 - 2019)

| education = B. Sc.

}}

Patlolla Sabitha Indra Reddy (born 5 May 1963) is an Indian politician from Telangana and a five time Member of Legislative Assembly. She was the Minister for Education of Telangana state during 2019-23.{{Cite news|last=Rahul|first=N.|date=14 March 2019|title=Sabita Reddy all set to join Telangana Rashtra Samithi|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/sabita-reddy-all-set-to-join-telangana-rashtra-samithi/article26528678.ece|url-status=live|access-date=9 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107235715/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/sabita-reddy-all-set-to-join-telangana-rashtra-samithi/article26528678.ece|archive-date=7 November 2020|issn=0971-751X}} She was elected twice from Chevella assembly constituency in 2000 and 2004 and thrice from Maheshwaram constituency in 2009, 2018 and 2023.

Early life

Sabitha Indra Reddy was born on 5 May 1963 in Medak to Mahipal Reddy and Venkatamma. She was married to P. Indra Reddy (died 2000), and the couple has three sons.{{Cite web|title=Member's Profile: SMT. PATLOLLA SABITHA INDRA REDDY|url=https://www.telanganalegislature.org.in/web/legislative-assembly/members-information?p_p_id=AssemblyMemberInfo_TGPortlet_INSTANCE_cL1L4gtn8MxA&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&_AssemblyMemberInfo_TGPortlet_INSTANCE_cL1L4gtn8MxA_javax.portlet.action=getMemberDetails&_AssemblyMemberInfo_TGPortlet_INSTANCE_cL1L4gtn8MxA_const_id=50&_AssemblyMemberInfo_TGPortlet_INSTANCE_cL1L4gtn8MxA_mem_id=3435&_AssemblyMemberInfo_TGPortlet_INSTANCE_cL1L4gtn8MxA_term_id=15&p_auth=hcUxaNvv|access-date=2022-02-09|website=Telangana Legislature}}

Career

Indra Reddy started her political career with the Indian National Congress and in 2009 became the first acting woman Home Minister of a state in India, serving until 2014.{{cite web |date=26 May 2009 |title=Sabita Reddy to be first woman home minister of Andhra |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sabita-reddy-to-be-first-woman-home-minister-of-andhra/articleshow/4579269.cms |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The Times of India}}{{cite web |date=27 May 2009 |title=Sabitha, first A.P. woman Home Minister |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/27/stories/2009052754580600.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110063458/http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/27/stories/2009052754580600.htm |archivedate=10 November 2012 |work=The Hindu}}

She held the position of Mines and Geology Minister in the earlier government of Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009. After winning the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly Election she joined Bharat Rashtra Samithi in 2019.

=2000 by-elections=

She was pushed into politics after her husband had passed away in a road accident. She contested the 2000 by election on a Congress ticket from Chevella assembly constituency against KLR who is an industrialist and politician. She won the election with a majority of 29,909 votes.{{cite web |last=Jafri |first=Syed Amin |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2000/may/29ap1.htm |title=Cong, TDP pocket one seat each in by-polls |work=Rediff |date=29 May 2000 |access-date=12 July 2021}}

=2004 general elections=

In 2004, she beat the TDP candidate and won the Chevella seat. She won with a majority of 41,585 votes. Consequently, YSR inducted her into the Cabinet as Minister of Mines and Geology.{{cite web |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/chevella-andhra-pradesh-assembly-constituency |title=Chevella Assembly Constituency Election Result |work=Result University |date=15 May 2004 |access-date=12 July 2021}}

=2009 general elections=

This election happened just after the constituency delimitation. As a result of this, her bastion Chevella constituency was changed to be an SC-reserved constituency. This resulted in her changing her constituency to the newly formed Maheshwaram (Assembly constituency). Though she moved few days prior to the election to the new constituency, she beat the local stalwart Teegala Krishna Reddy by a margin of 8000 votes. Thus, she became the first female Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh and a first female home minister to any state in India.{{cite web |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/maheshwaram-andhra-pradesh-assembly-constituency |title=Maheshwaram Assembly Constituency Election Result |work=Result University |date=14 November 2009 |access-date=12 July 2021}}

=2014 general elections=

Due to Congress party's decision of one family one ticket rule that year, she had made way for her son Karthik Reddy, who made his electoral debut contesting Chevella Lok Sabha seat, but lost the election.{{Cite web |date=2014-04-25 |title=Battle of four equals in unequal Chevella |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/battle-of-four-equals-in-unequal-chevella/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}} She did not contest the 2014 elections.{{Cite news |date=2014-05-19 |title=‘Congress lost Chevella due to emotional voting’ |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/congress-lost-chevella-due-to-emotional-voting/article6025855.ece |access-date=2024-04-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}

=2018 general elections=

Despite a strong TRS wave in the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly Election, she managed to win on a Congress ticket. Later, she joined the ruling party and became a cabinet minister in KCR cabinet.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-12 |title=Maheshwaram Assembly election Result 2018: INC's Sabitha Indra Reddy wins |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/telangana-election/article/maheshwaram-assembly-constituency-election-2018-telangana-polls-candidates/324751 |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=www.timesnownews.com |language=en}} She defeated Teegala Krishna Reddy of TRS by a margin of 9.227 votes.

=2023 General elections=

Reddy won her 5th election on a BRS ticket in the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly Election from Maheshwaram despite a strong anti-BRS wave. She defeated Andela Sriramulu Yadav of BJP by a margin of 26,187 votes.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-03 |title=Maheshwaram assembly elections results 2023: BRS' Patlolla Sabitha Indra Reddy wins |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/maheshwaram-assembly-elections-results-2023-its-bjps-andela-sriramulu-yadav-against-t-sriramulu-yadav-from-bkp/articleshow/105696411.cms |access-date=2024-04-12 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}

Controversy

In 2011, Central Bureau of Investigation arrested V. D. Rajagopal and Y. Srilakshmi, as third and fourth accused respectively in the investigation into illegal mining by Obulapuram Mining Company.{{cite web |date=29 November 2011 |title=Sri Lakshmi arrested in illegal mining case |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/sri-lakshmi-arrested-in-illegal-mining-case/article2669618.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929093433/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/sri-lakshmi-arrested-in-illegal-mining-case/article2669618.ece |archive-date=29 September 2013 |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=The Hindu}}{{cite web |date=14 December 2011 |title=Rajagopal has role in 'benami' mining: CBI |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/rajagopal-has-role-in-benami-mining-cbi/article2713127.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929105706/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/rajagopal-has-role-in-benami-mining-cbi/article2713127.ece |archive-date=29 September 2013 |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=The Hindu}}{{cite web |date=2 December 2011 |title=Srilakshmi sent to Chanchalguda jail |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/srilakshmi-sent-to-chanchalguda-jail/article2678413.ece |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=The Hindu}}{{cite web |date=24 November 2011 |title=Rajagopal, Sri Lakshmi accused of fraud |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/rajagopal-sri-lakshmi-accused-of-fraud/article2654668.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929101110/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/rajagopal-sri-lakshmi-accused-of-fraud/article2654668.ece |archive-date=29 September 2013 |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=The Hindu}} The permission for mining in Anantapur was for captive mining, i.e. the ore mined in that region is to be used in the local steel plant and not to be exported. Srilakshmi is accused of dropping the term "captive mining" in the final order approving a mining license to Obulapuram.

The CBI defended the Home minister saying there was no justification for the official to blame the Minister.{{cite web |last=Rahul |first=N. |date=2 December 2011 |title=CBI defends Sabita |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/cbi-defends-sabita/article2679567.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929093723/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/cbi-defends-sabita/article2679567.ece |archive-date=29 September 2013 |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=The Hindu}} As of April 2013, Sabitha Indra Reddy submitted her resignation letter from the Cabinet after the CBI named her as an accused in the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy illegal investments case.{{cite web |last1=Ragunathan |first1=Daya |last2=Srinivas |first2=N. Vamsi |date=9 April 2013 |title=CBI names Sabita in Jagan-Dalmia case |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/130409/news-politics/article/cbi-names-sabita-jagan-dalmia-case |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204162114/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/130409/news-politics/article/cbi-names-sabita-jagan-dalmia-case |archive-date=4 December 2013 |access-date=12 July 2021 |newspaper=Deccan Chronicle}}