Know Your MLA: The man who transformed Karimnagar

Karimnagar: Gangula Kamalakar, born on May 8, 1968 is an Indian politician who served as the Minister of BC Welfare, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs of Telangana state. He represents Karimnagar constituency as an MLA in the Telangana Legislative Assembly from the BRS.

His parents are Mallaiah and Laxmi Narasamma. He enrolled at KITS, Ramtek in Maharashtra in Civil Engineering in 1986, but did not complete his degree. He is married to Rajitha and the couple has a son and a daughter.

Kamalakar started his political career in 2000 when he was elected as a corporator in the Karimnagar Municipality. In 2009, he was elected as an MLA from Karimnagar constituency on a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket. In 2013, he joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on the onset of Telangana movement and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018 elections from the same constituency.

Karimnagar was traditionally considered a stronghold of the Velama caste, however, Kamalakar who hails from the Backward Class (BC) community, managed to get elected for three consecutive terms.

In September 2019, Kamalakar was included in the second Cabinet of K Chandrashekar Rao and was allotted the portfolio of BC Welfare, Food & Civil Supplies. Kamalakar is a close aide of minister KT Rama Rao. In the 2023 elections, the state witnessed Congress wave but Kamalakar won with a majority of over 3,000 votes.

And during his reign, he led Karimnagar in the path of development in his own style, along with giving Karimnagar the prestigious cable bridge, IT Tower, BC Study Circle, BSC Agriculture Degree College, Medical College and around 14.5 km of road in Karimnagar town with Rs 160 crore. Kamalakar helped beautify Karimnagar and developed all kinds of facilities by bringing funds worth Rs 350 crore from the CM special fund.