Who is TRS MLC S Vani Devi who defeated BJP's Ramachander Rao

Hyderabad: In February, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao surprised everyone by fielding Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former prime minister late P.V. Narasimha Rao, from Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Mahbubnagar graduates constituency for the Legislative Council polls.

An artist, academic and social activist, Vani Devi, is the founder of the Sri Venkateshwara Group of Institutions. The group runs several pharmacy, architecture, and fine arts colleges. The first timer who was fielded on TRS ticket gave a tough fight and defeated BJP's sitting MLC Ramachander Rao in Hyderabad- Ranga Reddy-Mahbub nagar graduate constituency.

The counting of votes which continued for four consecutive days ended on 20th March evening. The final results declared by the officials said S Vani Devi bagged 1.89 lakhs votes. Celebrations broke out at the TRS bhavan located in Jubilee Hills and at the residence of the newly elected MLC.

Born on April 1, 1952, in Vangara of Karimnagar District, she completed her graduation from Osmania University in 1973. Thirteen years later, she completed a Diploma in Fine Arts from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 1986.

She served as a Lecturer at JNTU from 1990 to 1995. Later she founded Sri Venkateshwara College of Fine Arts where she taught from 1997-2008. She is the principal at Sri Venkateshwara College of Fine Arts. She now stays at Jubilee Hills in the city. Biennial Elections to the two Legislative Council seats reserved for Graduates was held on March 14.

The decision to field Vani Devi assumed political significance against the backdrop of KCR launching year-long PVNR birth centenary celebrations on June 28, 2020.

TRS leadership had kept her name under wraps leaving opposition and the party cadre guessing until the name was announced. There was no clarity whether TRS would contest the MLC election, though the Election Commission had issued notification for two MLC seats on February 16.