June 2026

MLA, Samathisingaram, Manuguru, Pinapaka, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Telangana, TRS. Payam Venkateswarlu was the MLA of Pinapaka Constituency. He was born on 06-05-1974 to Kama Raju. He has completed Intermediate from Govt. Junior College, Manuguru from 1990-1992. He discontinued a Bachelor of Arts from Govt. Degree College, Manuguru. He started his political journey with SFI(Students’ Federation of India) and was the Student Leader. Later on, Payam joined the Communist Party of India(CPI) party. From 2004-2009, in Andhra Pradesh Legislative elections, he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly(MLA) with the highest majority of 68080 votes from the Burgampahad Constituency. He joined the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party(YSRCP). In 2014, he was elected as Member of Legislative Assembly(MLA) with a margin of 42,475 votes from Pinapaka Constituency. He joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) party. In 2018, He contested as an MLA Post and Lost his Position in Pinapaka Constituency, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Telangana from TRS.

Kothagudem: As the State prepares for local body elections, a few local bodies in Bhadrachalam and Pinapaka Assembly constituencies in the district will be going to polls for the first time after the formation of a separate Telangana. Elections to Bhadrachalam and Burgampad Mandal Praja Parishads (MPPs) and the Bhadrachalam and Sarapaka gram panchayats assumed importance as they would be going to elections after a gap of 11 years. The Bhadrachalam MPP, established on January 1, 1987, witnessed elections in 2014 prior to the reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh. Bhadrachalam MPP had 13 MPTC seats in 2014, and it has now been increased to 14, with the MPP president post reserved for ST (woman). Elections were not held for the local body for various reasons, such as the merger of several villages in the mandal into AP and issues related to the government’s decision to upgrade it into a municipality. The same was the case with the Bhadrachalam major gram panchayat (GP), which witnessed elections in 2013 and was exempted from elections as the locals went to court challenging the government’s decision to make it a municipality. It was divided into three smaller GPs and was later made a single GP in view of local opposition. The sarpanch post is reserved for ST (general). Similarly, elections to Burgampad MPP, with 18 MPTC seats, were held in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, and the elected body took oath after one year, in July 2015. The elected members went to court as two MPTC seats were merged into AP, and the court favoured the merger. Though the local body polls were held in 2019, elections were not conducted for the local body as the tenure of the members was not completed by that time. It was managed by a special officer until now.

Kothagudem: Khammam BRS district president and MLC Tata Madhusudhan campaigned for the party candidate for Bhadrachalam seat Dr. Tellam Venkat Rao. The MLC along with Venkat Rao called on the leaders of Christian community at Bhadrachalam on Wednesday and sought the support of the community members for the BRS in the ensuing Assembly elections. The town pastors offered special prayers for the victory of Dr. Venkat Rao and felicitated the leaders. Speaking on the occasion, Madhusudhan reminded that Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao honours and gives due place to all religions in the State. Telangana government was the government in the country to officially organise Christmas celebrations, he said. The MLC also interacted with the morning walkers and asked them to elect Bhadrachalam BRS candidate Dr. Venkat Rao for the complete development of the Bhadrachalam Assembly constituency. He along with the local MLA P Veeraiah distributed Bathukamma sarees to women.

Kothagudem: The BRS witnessed a large migration of adivasis and Padmashalis from different political parties into the party in Cherla mandal of Bhadrachalam Assembly constituency on Tuesday. Impressed with the good governance of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, they joined the party in the presence of Bhadrachalam election in-charge, MLC Tata Madhusudhan and BRS candidate Dr. Tellem Venkata Rao. As many as 270 families from Kaliveru and Satyanarayanapuram villages of Cherla mandal have joined the BRS party. They said the development and welfare schemes introduced by the Chief Minister benefitted them and they were indebted to the Chief Minister.

Even a decade after the bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh, the issue of merging certain border villages near Bhadrachalam has resurfaced, drawing renewed attention from both the state and central authorities. There is growing demand to transfer five villages currently in Andhra Pradesh—Purushottapatnam, Atpaka, Pichikalapadu, Kannayigudem, and Gundala—back to Telangana, citing administrative, developmental, and welfare considerations. Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao sent a formal letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, urging the merger of these villages into Telangana. He emphasized that residents currently face administrative difficulties, having to travel long distances within Andhra Pradesh for basic services. The merger, he argued, would also benefit tribal communities by ensuring access to government schemes and welfare programs. Rao requested that the matter be addressed urgently through a special bill in the ongoing parliamentary session. Simultaneously, Telangana MP Renuka Chowdhury raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, criticizing the central government for failing to uphold bifurcation promises. She asserted that residents who should have been part of Telangana were forcibly included in Andhra Pradesh and demanded the immediate transfer of the five villages. Chowdhury also called for compensation for losses caused by delays in implementing commitments such as the Railway Coach Factory and NTPC projects under the bifurcation agreement. The merger is considered vital for the expansion and development of Bhadrachalam town. Currently, the town faces space constraints, limiting urban growth and the development of the famous Ramalayam. Locals and officials alike stress that incorporating these five villages into the Bhadrachalam municipality is essential for effective planning, infrastructure development, and the overall welfare of residents. With both the state minister and the parliamentarian pressing the Union government on the issue, the spotlight now turns to how the Modi administration will respond to this longstanding demand. The decision is expected to have significant implications for administrative efficiency, regional development, and the political discourse surrounding Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border areas.