For decades, the politics of Udayagiri in Nellore district revolved around one family name. Then in 2024, a software consultant who had spent years in the United States and ran a charitable trust won the seat. Kakarla Suresh, a Telugu Desam Party MLA and former NGO organiser, ended the decades-long dominance of the Mekapati family in the constituency.
He is not a dynastic politician or a career party man. He is an engineer from a village family who decided that running a charity was not enough, and that he needed to hold the office to change things at scale.
Quick Facts About Kakarla Suresh
| Full Name | Kakarla Suresh |
| Date of Birth | 1971 (sources differ; see note below) |
| Age | Approx. 55 years (as of 2026) |
| Home Town | Udayagiri, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh |
| Native Village | Peddireddy Palle, Varikuntapadu mandal |
| Father | Kakarla Venkata Subbaiah Naidu |
| Education | B.Tech, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur (1993) |
| Profession | Software consultant, social worker, politician |
| Party | Telugu Desam Party (TDP) |
| Constituency | Udayagiri (No. 123), Nellore district |
| In Office Since | 2024 |
| Predecessor | Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy (MLA 2019–24) |
| Spouse | [Add after verifying from his election affidavit] |
| Net Worth | [Add from the MyNeta / ADR affidavit] |
Early Life & Education
Suresh is the son of K. Venkatasubba Naidu and comes from Peddireddy Palle village in Varikuntapadu mandal. His father worked as a village development officer in the Udayagiri constituency. He grew up close to the problems he would later campaign on: migration for work, and a lack of jobs and local development.
He completed his Bachelor of Technology at Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, in 1993.
Career Before Politics: Software, America and Service
After his B.Tech, Suresh worked as a software engineer in America and served for a time as Team Square Department Chairman for the Telugu Association of North America (TANA). He and his wife both work in software companies.
Many NRIs send money home and stay abroad. Suresh stayed involved in his constituency, which led to the next step.
The Kakarla Charitable Trust
Seeing the poor conditions in Udayagiri, Suresh founded the Kakarla Charitable Trust (KCT). Through the trust he built a local profile as someone who delivered help rather than just promises.
He has explained why he moved from the trust to politics. As an NGO organiser his services were limited, so he wanted to become an MLA and develop the constituency in every respect.
Entering Politics: The 2024 TDP Ticket
Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP chief, was impressed by Suresh’s service activities and chose him for Udayagiri about a year before the election, despite pressure from senior local leaders. The TDP replaced the sitting MLA, Bollineni Venkata Ramarao, with him.
It was a bet on a newcomer in a seat where family networks had long mattered. The opponent was Mekapati Rajagopala Reddy of the YSRCP, an engineering graduate from the Mekapati family. Janasena leaders in the constituency pledged full support to Suresh as the joint candidate of the TDP-led alliance.
2024 Election Result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kakarla Suresh | TDP | 101,537 | 50.54% |
| Mekapati Rajagopal Reddy | YSRCP | 91,916 | 45.75% |
| Somu Anil Kumar Reddy | INC | 2,512 | 1.25% |
| NOTA | — | 2,072 | 1.03% |
His winning margin was 9,621 votes, or 4.79%. The seat had gone to the YSRCP’s Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy in 2019, and the TDP won it back.
Udayagiri Constituency at a Glance
Udayagiri is constituency number 123 in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and has 231,202 electors and no reservation.
| Year | MLA | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Bollineni Venkata Ramarao | TDP |
| 2019 | Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy | YSRCP |
| 2024 | Kakarla Suresh | TDP |
As MLA: Development, Migration and Performance
Suresh has pushed local development and jobs as his priorities. In July 2026 he attended a programme in the region where a Nellore-area leader said Udayagiri would grow into a hub for development and jobs, with works continuing despite the state’s financial constraints.
Migration remains a big issue in his constituency. In July 2026, during the voter-roll verification exercise, he said that around 15 to 20 per cent of the constituency’s population migrates to Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for employment.
His standing within his own party has been reported as mixed and improving. The Deccan Chronicle’s political column reported that during a visit to Udayagiri, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gave Suresh a reality check, placing him 164th in his performance index. By October 2026, the same paper reported that Naidu praised Suresh and his team after being impressed by the turnout and arrangements at an event.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kakarla Suresh
1. Who is Kakarla Suresh?
Kakarla Suresh is an Indian politician from Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu Desam Party MLA for Udayagiri in Nellore district. He was a software professional and social worker before politics.
2. Which constituency does Kakarla Suresh represent?
He represents Udayagiri (constituency no. 123) in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He was elected in 2024.
3. Who did Kakarla Suresh defeat in 2024?
He defeated Mekapati Rajagopal Reddy of the YSRCP by 9,621 votes, ending the Mekapati family’s hold on the seat.
4. What is Kakarla Suresh’s education?
He holds a B.Tech from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, completed in 1993.
5. What is the Kakarla Charitable Trust?
It is the charitable organisation Suresh founded in Udayagiri to support local people. It built the public profile that led to his TDP ticket.
6. What is Kakarla Suresh’s age?
Sources differ. Wikipedia lists a 1971 birth year, while one local directory says 1976. Hans India reported his age as 52 in 2024, which fits roughly 1971–72.
