# Vakiti Srihari
**Vakiti Srihari** (వాకిటి శ్రీహరి) is an [Indian National Congress](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-national-congress) politician who represents the Makthal constituency in the Telangana Legislative Assembly and serves as a cabinet minister in the [Government of Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-telangana), holding the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries portfolio along with Sports and Youth Services.[1](https://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/animal-husbandry-and-fisheries/) • [2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/departments/sports-and-youth-services/) He was elected from Makthal in the [2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election](https://www.edgepedia.org/2023-telangana-legislative-assembly-election) and was inducted into the cabinet in June 2025.[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/) • [4](https://www.capitalinformation.net/media/2025-06/9-6-25_pages-ap.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current office | Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, and for Sports and Youth Services, Government of Telangana[1](https://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/animal-husbandry-and-fisheries/) • [2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/departments/sports-and-youth-services/) |
| Constituency | Makthal (Narayanpet district), Assembly seat no. 77 in Telangana[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/) |
| 2023 result | 74,917 votes, 40.29% share, margin of 17,525 over the runner-up[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/) |
| Term start | 3 December 2023[5](https://prsindia.org/mlatrack/vakiti-srihari) |
| Early career | Makthal sarpanch 2001–2006; ZPTC Makthal 2014–2018[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp) |
| Personal | Age 51 at the 2023 election; graduate (B.A.); profession listed as agriculture; no criminal cases declared[7](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177) |
## Early life and background
Srihari is the son of Vakiti Narsimulu.[7](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177) In the affidavit he filed for the 2023 election he declared his age as 51, his education as a B.A. degree, and his occupation as agriculture; his wife's occupation was listed as housewife.[7](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177) He declared total assets of Rs 13,240,543 against liabilities of Rs 41,80,000, and no criminal cases.[7](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177) His declared income for the financial year 2018–19 was Rs 461,338.[7](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177)
## Local political career
**Grassroots beginnings.** Srihari began in the Congress party's student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).[8](https://chronicleclub.in/storage/uploads/1749447026-dc.pdf) He served as secretary of the Makthal Congress mandal from 1996 to 2001, and as vice president of the Congress party in Mahabubnagar district from 2001 to 2006.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp)
In 2001 he was elected sarpanch of the Makthal major gram panchayat, a post he held until 2006, winning with the highest majority in Mahabubnagar district.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp) His wife, Vakiti Lalitha, was elected as an MPTC member from Dasarpally from 2006 to 2011.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp)
**District-level roles.** From 2014 to 2018 Srihari was ZPTC (Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency member) for Makthal, elected with the second-highest majority in [Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/telangana), and served as the Congress floor leader in the Mahabubnagar Zilla Parishad as well as general secretary of the district Congress party.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp) He was president of the Narayanpet district Congress Committee (DCC) from 3 September 2022 to February 2024.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp) During this period he also worked in election management, serving as in-charge for mandals in the Huzurnagar, Dubbaka, Nagarjunasagar, and Huzurabad assembly by-elections and for parts of the [Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation](https://www.edgepedia.org/greater-hyderabad-municipal-corporation) election campaign.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp)
## Legislative Assembly
Srihari won the Makthal seat in the November 2023 Telangana assembly election as the Indian National Congress candidate, receiving 74,917 votes (40.29% of the vote) with a margin of 17,525 over Chittem Ram Mohan Reddy of the BRS (57,392 votes, 30.87%); the BJP candidate finished third with 45,455 votes (24.45%).[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/) Turnout in the constituency was 38.4% of 484,630 registered voters.[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/) His term as a member of the Legislative Assembly began on 3 December 2023.[5](https://prsindia.org/mlatrack/vakiti-srihari)
Makthal has changed hands frequently: the Congress won the seat in 2014, the TRS in 2018, and the Congress again in 2023.[3](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/)
## Cabinet minister
Srihari was sworn in as a Telangana cabinet minister at Raj Bhavan on Sunday, 8 June 2025, along with [Adluri Laxman Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/adluri-laxman-kumar) and Gaddam Vivek Venkataswamy, in an induction that the Deccan Chronicle reported was shaped by the party's emphasis on social justice and backward-class representation.[4](https://www.capitalinformation.net/media/2025-06/9-6-25_pages-ap.pdf) • [8](https://chronicleclub.in/storage/uploads/1749447026-dc.pdf) The ABP Telugu report noted that he belongs to the Mudiraj community and that his cabinet berth followed the party's weighing of social composition and regional representation.[6](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp)
The state government allocated him the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries portfolio and the Sports and Youth Services portfolio.[1](https://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/animal-husbandry-and-fisheries/) • [2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/departments/sports-and-youth-services/) The Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department oversees veterinary services, livestock and dairy development federations, the P.V. Narasimha Rao Telangana Veterinary University, and the Fisheries Department.[1](https://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/animal-husbandry-and-fisheries/) As sports minister he heads the Sports Authority of Telangana State, which runs coaching camps, inter-district tournaments, and talent scouting programs.[2](https://www.telangana.gov.in/departments/sports-and-youth-services/)
In office, Srihari has spoken on Krishna river water issues affecting the Palamuru region, accusing BRS leaders of staging demonstrations for political advantage, and has publicly supported dairy farmers.[9](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/brs-indulging-in-political-theatrics-on-krishna-water-issues-vakiti/amp_articleshow/132663721.cms) • [10](https://epaper.wakeuptelangana.com/media/2026-06/14-june.pdf) In March 2026 he joined other ministers in the assembly in rejecting a BJP legislator's characterization of the portfolios given to backward-class ministers as insignificant.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/bjp-mla-says-bc-ministers-given-insignificant-portfolios/amp_articleshow/129664532.cms)
## References
1. [Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, Government of Telangana](https://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/animal-husbandry-and-fisheries/)
2. [Sports and Youth Services, Telangana State Portal](https://www.telangana.gov.in/departments/sports-and-youth-services/)
3. [Makthal, Vidhan Sabha 2023, IndiaVotes](https://indiavotes.nayidisha.com/vidhan-sabha/telangana/2023/makthal/)
4. [Capital Information, Hyderabad, 9 June 2025](https://www.capitalinformation.net/media/2025-06/9-6-25_pages-ap.pdf)
5. [Vakiti Srihari, PRS Legislative Research MLA Track](https://prsindia.org/mlatrack/vakiti-srihari)
6. [Vakiti Srihari Political Career: From Makthal Sarpanch to Telangana Cabinet Minister, ABP Live Telugu](https://telugu.abplive.com/telangana/hyderabad/vakiti-srihari-political-career-from-makthal-sarpanch-to-telangana-cabinet-minister-209934/amp)
7. [Vakiti Srihari affidavit, Telangana 2023, MyNeta (ADR)](https://www.myneta.info/Telangana2023/candidate.php?candidate_id=177)
8. [Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, 9 June 2025](https://chronicleclub.in/storage/uploads/1749447026-dc.pdf)
9. [BRS indulging in political theatrics on Krishna water issues: Vakiti, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/brs-indulging-in-political-theatrics-on-krishna-water-issues-vakiti/amp_articleshow/132663721.cms)
10. [Wake Up Telangana, 14 June 2026](https://epaper.wakeuptelangana.com/media/2026-06/14-june.pdf)
11. [BJP MLA says BC ministers given 'insignificant' portfolios, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/bjp-mla-says-bc-ministers-given-insignificant-portfolios/amp_articleshow/129664532.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › South Indian politicians › Andhra Pradesh and Telangana politicians › Chief ministers and ministers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 27, 2026; Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 27, 2026; Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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