Revanth Reddy next Telangana CM; swearing-in on Thursday: Congress
Telangana Congress chief Anumula Revanth Reddy—credited for the party's recent win in the state assembly elections—has officially been chosen as the chief minister. The party announced its decision on Tuesday evening, putting an end to uncertainty amid alleged internal protests against his selection. Reddy will be sworn in as Telangana's next chief minister on Thursday. This development came after a high-level meeting in New Delhi comprising Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and National General Secretary KC Venugopal, among others.
Why does this story matter?
The Congress registered a huge victory in Telangana by securing 64 seats in the 119-member state assembly, dethroning the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. The result is being viewed as a much-needed boost for the grand old party, given its poor performance in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh ahead of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to reports, Reddy was the most popular choice for the CM post despite some opposition within the party.
Watch: AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal makes announcement
Internal opposition and swearing-in ceremony delay
To note, the oath-taking ceremony was initially supposed to take place in Raj Bhavan, Hyderabad, on Monday, and all necessary arrangements were also made. However, it was canceled after some leaders allegedly opposed his selection for the post. His critics include former Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, former CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, and former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. They reportedly opposed him due to his unresolved corruption cases and the party's weak performance in his Lok Sabha constituency.
Reddy enjoys popular support
Despite internal opposition, Reddy has the support of 42 of 64 Congress MLAs, per reports. This backing is crucial for the Congress high command, which is not willing to risk losing any members in Telangana, the only state it won in the latest round of state elections. This is probably the primary reason why the party picked Reddy as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Telangana, making way for him to assume the CM post.
More on Telangana CM face Reddy
Reddy is a seasoned politician who has represented Malkajgiri in the Lok Sabha. The two-time MLA played an important role in Telangana politics after switching to the Congress from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 2017. He is now the face of the Congress in the state. He is considered an aggressive campaigner, having engaged in several confrontations with outgoing CM K Chandrashekar Rao. Reddy also attacked the BRS administration with street protests and public rallies alongside senior Congress leaders.
Who were other hopeful candidates
Reddy, who contested against BRS supremo KCR from Kamareddy, rose from the grassroots to the top post in the Telangana Congress unit. Meanwhile, apart from him, names of Schedule Caste (SC) leader Vikramarka and former MPs Madhu Yashki Goud and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy were floated for the CM post. Uttam, Komatireddy, and ex-MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal were also hoping for a chance, reports said earlier. However, the Congress has now finally put an end to all the speculation and uncertainty.
