Telangana: Revanth Reddy takes down barricades fortifying CM's residence
Just minutes after taking oath as Telangana's Chief Minister, Anumula Revanth Reddy made good on a campaign promise by ordering the removal of iron barricades surrounding his official residence, Pragathi Bhavan, in Hyderabad. Reddy—known for his connection to the crowd—had vowed to remove the barriers if the Congress won the assembly election. On Thursday, even before Reddy's oath-taking ceremony concluded at the LB Stadium, workers with bulldozers, jackhammers, gas-powered cutters, and other sophisticated equipment were seen dismantling the barricades.
Why does this story matter?
Reddy—credited with the Congress's win in the state assembly elections—is known to be a crowd favorite. During his campaigns, he had promised to remove the iron barricades that guarded the CM's plush residence but troubled the general commute. Per The Hindu, the barricades used to block the traffic on the usually busy road, and on many occasions, pedestrians got hurt due to congestion. The barricades were installed nine years ago; however, their height was augmented later.
Reddy became Telangana's second CM
Reddy succeeded K Chandrashekar Rao as the leader of Telangana, becoming its second Chief Minister since Telangana's inception in 2014. The inauguration took place at LB Stadium, where eleven of Reddy's colleagues, including Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka—a fellow chief ministerial hopeful who was sworn in as deputy chief minister—joined him in taking their oaths. Notably, leaders from the 28-party Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition attended the ceremony.
Challenges ahead for Reddy and his Cabinet
Now, Reddy and his cabinet face the herculean task of managing the state's strained finances while delivering on the "six guarantees" that the Congress party pledged during the election campaign. The party's strong emphasis on these guarantees is believed to have contributed to their victory. However, with Telangana's public debt estimated at Rs. 3,57,059 crore, fulfilling these guarantees will be no easy feat. As a part of the guarantees, the Congress also promised free travel for women on state buses.
Reddy was picked by Kharge after much opposition
Despite blatant support from the party's top leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Reddy's climb to the top rank was obstructed by in-party opposition. His candidacy was opposed by senior leaders, but eventually, he was picked by Congress's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress registered a huge victory in the recent Telangana elections by securing 64 seats in the 119-member assembly, dethroning the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for the first time since the formation of the state.
