Rekha Naik is an Indian politician, who won as an MLA from Khanapur through the Telangana Rashtra Samithi ticket in 2018. She became popular when she became a Congress candidate from the Khanapur ST constituency even before officially joining the party. This move came after her former party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), did not nominate her for re-election in the Assembly polls.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Ajmera Rekha Shyam Nayak was born on Tuesday, 19 February 1974 (age 49 years; as of 2023) in Hyderabad, Telangana. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius. She did her schooling at Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, Hyderabad. She pursued her graduation from Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya, Hyderabad in 1999, a master’s degree in sociology from Osmania University, Hyderabad in 2010 and an LLB degree from Padala Ramareddy Law College, Hyderabad in 2013.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Rekha’s father’s name is K. Shankar Chauhan, who worked in BHEL. Her mother’s name is K. Shyamala Bai, who was a government employee.
Husband & Children
Rekha got married to Shyam Naik Ajmera, who is a former government employee in the transport department and is now a politician.
Rekha Naik with her husband
Her daughter’s name is Pooja Naik.
Rekha Naik with her daughter (left)
Religion/Religious Views
Rekha follows Hinduism.
Rekha Naik performing a hawan
Caste
Rekha belongs to the scheduled tribe.
Address
She resides at H.No 7-76/1, Rajampet Street, Asifabad, Telangana.
Signature
Rekha Naik’s signature
Political Career
She served as a member of the Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency. In 2009, she stood as an independent candidate in the Assembly elections but lost the elections. In 2014, he joined Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now BRS). In the same year, he contested the Assembly elections and won from Khanapur constituency. From 2016 to 2018, she worked as Chairman of the Committee on Welfare of Women, Children, Disabled and Old Aged, Telangana Legislature. In 2018, she contested the 2018 Assembly elections with a TRS ticket and won the elections from the Khanapur constituency. In 2023, she was denied the ticket from BRS on charges of corruption. On 22 August 2023, she applied for the Congress ticket from the Khanapur ST constituency even before joining the party.
Controversies
Hoisting the flag was not in line with what Rekha wanted
In 2021, Rekha and her husband faced a problem when she couldn’t raise the national flag due to her busy schedule. During a state formation event, her husband raised the flag at the camp office instead. The opposition leaders asked for legal action because they believed her husband, who worked for the government, broke the rules.
Spat with village sarpanch
In 2023, there was an argument involving Rekha and a village leader during a community meeting in Khanapur. The meeting was held to select beneficiaries for two-bedroom houses. District Collector Varun Reddy, MLA Rekha Naik, the village sarpanch, and many officials were present. During her speech, Rekha listed the names of everyone on stage, including the village leader. However, he asked her not to mention his name. This upset Rekha and she became angry, stating that people like him were holding back progress in the village. The village leader then responded by asking if she was threatening him and what she intended to do.
Salary
Rekha’s salary as of 2018 was Rs. 13,32,210.
Assets/Properties
Movable Assets
- Bank Deposits: Rs. 4,77,336
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 9,00,000
- Other assets: Rs. 52,25,935
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,50,00,000
- Non-Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,95,00,000
- Residential Buildings: Rs. 25,00,000
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2018. It excludes the assets owned by her husband and dependents (minor).
Net Worth
Rs. 3 Crore
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2018. It excludes the assets owned by her husband and dependents (minor).
Facts/Trivia
- In 2017, she gave out a check of Rs. 51,000 to each person who qualified for the Kalayana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak Schemes in the Kadem and Dasturabad areas.
Rekha Naik distributing cheques to the beneficiaries
- In 2017, she arranged an event at her home where she and many ladies and girls gathered to recite verses from the Quran. In an interview, she shared that she believed the Quran was a guiding source for everyone in the world. She expressed her love for Quranic recitation and felt happy seeing Muslim girls recite the Quran. She mentioned that she felt connected to the Quran since her school days and used to take part in recitation events with friends. Listening to the Quran, she added, brought her a sense of inner calmness.
- In 2018, she brought in 102 “Amma Vodi” ambulances for the Kadem Primary Health Centre. She highlighted that these vehicles were primarily meant for the well-being of women and children.
Rekha Naik flagging ambulances
- In 2018, while she was campaigning for her election, a woman from the SC colony in Indhanpalli, Jannaram, Mancherial district, expressed anger towards her. The woman claimed that Rekha had not paid enough attention to the progress of their society and requested her not to come back to the colony.
- In 2022, she visited the flooded villages in her area to see the damage caused to crops, even though the roads were affected by heavy rainfall. As the bridge they were constructing had collapsed due to the floods, she used a raft to cross the Gangapur River. Once she reached the other side, she went to the village and checked the harmed crops. She made sure that the farmers would receive assistance from the government.
Rekha Naik crossing the river on a raft
- In December 2022, she had a fight with Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who is a member of the Lok Sabha. Sanjay made incorrect comments about Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and MLC K Kavitha. In response, Rekha advised him to be cautious about his choice of words before speaking.
- On 22 August 2023, she and her husband submitted their application to join the Congress party at its headquarters in Hyderabad, Gandhi Bhavan. Her husband had already become a member on 21 August. The Congress leaders requested her to come to the city and officially join the party after they received her application. However, she didn’t confirm her decision. Rekha mentioned that she was removed from the list of candidates without any explanation given.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn