Revanth Reddy takes oath as Telangana CM
Congress leader Anumula Revanth Reddy took oath as Telangana's second chief minister, following the party's victory in the recently concluded assembly elections on Thursday. Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka took oath as his deputy at the LB Stadium in Hyderabad. Leaders from the 28-party Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition attended the ceremony. Reportedly, one lakh people were expected to attend the mega event after Reddy made an open invitation to the public.
Why does this story matter?
The Congress unseated the incumbent Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana in the state assembly elections by winning 64 out of 119 seats, ending the latter's rule since the state was formed in 2014. However, the Congress's reluctance over seat-sharing and its subsequent loss in four states have reportedly triggered discord within the INDIA bloc. This event presents an opportunity for the Congress to ease tensions among the INDIA allies ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Gandhi family and other senior Congress leaders attend ceremony
Ten other Congress leaders also took oaths. They are Damodar Raja Narasimha, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Seethakka, Ponnam Prabhakar, Sridhar Babu, Tummala Nageshwar Rao, Konda Surekhaa, Jupally, and Krishna Ponguleti. Top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the ceremony. Reddy, who led the Congress party to victory in Telangana, personally reached out to numerous opposition leaders, inviting them to the event.
Hyderabad decked up before Reddy's oath
Other leaders who attended ceremony
Reddy also invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to his swearing-in ceremony. However, due to prior commitments, Banerjee informed Reddy that she would be unable to attend. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien reportedly represented Banerjee at the event. Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja also attended the ceremony. The CPI was in a pre-poll alliance with the grand old party, and it bagged one seat.
