Hyderabad : From selling potatoes to becoming a mass leader in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav has come a long way in politics. Coming from a humble background without any political affiliations, the senior leader from the city has gone on to become MLA for five times and also a minister on several occasions. Born on October 6, 1965, Srinivas Yadav studied till Intermediate and later started his political career in 1992. His father was Venkatesham Yadav, who headed the workers union in Monda Market. Srinivas Yadav’s name is associated with the Monda Market and he was also called ‘Alugadda’ Srinivas Yadav. He fondly says, “I also did business in Monda Market. I observed the pain of the poor visiting the market first-hand, and I came into politics with an aim to solve their problems.”
While he was fast getting popular with his leadership skills, he was noticed by the former chief minister NT Rama Rao, who was on a high with a string of victories in the State then. NTR gave the ticket to Srinivas Yadav in 1994. He contested from Secunderabad on behalf of Telugu Desam Party and defeated Mary Ravindranath of Congress. He went on to become a minister in NTR’s cabinet at a very young age.
Srinivas Yadav once again contested on the TDP ticket in 1999 and defeated Mary Ravindranath. He became an important leader of the party for TDP from the city at a time when there was P Janardhan Reddy with the Congress. Talasani had played a key role in the TDP and was known as a close confidant of Chandrababu Naidu. He was made Cinematography minister. In 2004, he lost in Secunderabad at the hands of T Padma Rao Goud in 2004. He was made the head of Telugu Yuvata in 2005 and won from the Secunderabad in the bye-election, defeating Pitla Krishna of Congress party. Again in 2009, he defeated Jayasudha of Congress and became MLA for the third time. After the bifurcation, he became MLA from Sanathnagar defeating Marri Sashidhar Reddy of Congress. On a call from KCR, he joined BRS and became a minister and retained his seat in 2018, defeating Kuna Venkatesh and continued as a minister in KCR’s cabinet.
The BRS leader became popular with the Bonalu festivities in the city as he was the district in-charge minister and also took the responsibility of the festival in Ujjaini Mahankali Temple. As he is a mass leader, every government is willing to have him in the party. Srinivas Yadav is married to Swarna and they have one son and two daughters. During his 30-year political career, he has always been available for the people of his constituency, who call him fondly as Seenanna.