KHAMMAM: They say there is a woman behind every man. Many Congress party members in Madhira claim this is true in the case of Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and his wife Nandini. Ever since the senior Congress leader and former MLA entered politics, it is said that Nandini has walked by his side, playing a key role in every one his successes.
Mallu Nandini graduated in political science and public administration in 1993. Her family has its roots in Gujarat, however she grew up in Secunderabad. She moved to Madhira in 1995, when she got married to Vikramarka.
In 2007, Nandini played an active role in her husband’s successful MLC election campaign. Arguably, this was just the beginning since Vikramarka would go on to be one of Congress’ most prominent faces in Telangana (the State was not divided yet). In 2009, Nandini reportedly was the ‘man’ behind his campaign from Madhira and he won with a margin of 14,000 votes.Now, Vikramarka’s career was on the rise; his party made him Chief Whip in the Assembly. But this also meant he could not spend much time at Madhira.
This is when Nandini became indispensable - she would stay in touch with local party leaders and the cadre when her husband couldn’t. Rama Das, a party worker claims, “Madam was always available to us. We never felt helpless, even when her husband was not in town,” he says.
Vikramarka’s was going to get busier in the future. He was re-elected from Madhira in 2014. This time too Nandini was responsible for the campaign, ensuring her husband’s success in an election when many of his colleagues lost to TRS candidates. Since then, with Vikramarka fast becoming a face of the Opposition, Nandini’s responsibilities have only increased. And she seems to have risen to the challenge quite well - in fact, some party workers claim she has more contacts than her husband! “She knows every worker and leader in every village,” says Jayashree, a party worker. Nandini reportedly visits the constituency villages every week to hold discussions.
Speaking to Express, Mallu Nandini calls her role in her husband’s career her ‘duty’ says she never planned on joining politics. She adds, she is satisfied now with her role now. “I get to meet new people every day, learn about their problems and even help if I can,” she says.