Samineni Udayabhanu

Samineni Udayabhanu (born 1 August 1955) is an Indian politician from Andhra Pradesh. He was a three-time MLA from Jaggayyapeta Assembly constituency in Krishna district. He represented the Indian National Congress twice and the YSR Congress Party once. But he lost the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.^[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Udayabhanu was born in Jaggayyapeta, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. His father was Samineni Viswanadham.^[4] He completed his schooling in Zilla Parishad High School in 1970 before completing his intermediate, the two-year pre-university course. Then, he did his B.Com., also from SGS College in 1975.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Udayabhanu made his debut in electoral politics in 1999 representing the Indian National Congress. He won the 1999 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Election defeating Rajagopal Sreeram of the Telugu Desam Party by a margin of 4,778 votes. He won the Jaggayyapeta seat again in 2004 on a Congress ticket defeating Nettam Sriraghuram of TDP by a margin of 11,694 votes.^[5] But he lost the 2009 and 2014 elections to Rajagopal Sreeram of the Telugu Desam Party.^[6] However, he shifted to the YSR Congress Party and was reelected from the same constituency in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election defeating Sreeram by a margin of 4,778 votes.^[7] But Rajagopal Sreeram once again defeated him in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election. Later in September 2024, he shifted to Jana Sena Party.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2023, he was appointed a member of the TTD trust board.^[8][9] But a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the court challenging his appointment as he was facing charges in Delhi liquor scam case.^[10] He also served as the government whip.^[11]