Current Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was instrumental in working hard towards defeating political foe, Chandrasekar Rao’s BRS party in the 2023 state elections. He was instrumental in drumming up motivation among the state’s Congress cadre after a decade-long drubbing. He was instrumental in the electoral victory of the Congress in the 2023 state elections.
Yet, his words and actions speak a significantly different political language than that of a typical Congress politician’s. This is no surprise, considering his non-Congress background for the most part of his political career. In his youth, Revanth was with the BJP party when it barely had a presence in the larger, undivided state of Andhra Pradesh. Later on, he transitioned to another anti-Congress party, the regional TDP party (Telugu Desam Party) founded by the late Telugu actor, N T Rama Rao.
Revanth had a successful stint in the TDP party. He was and is reputed to be an admirer of the senior TDP leader, N Chandrababu Naidu who mentored him in his early years. For more than five years now, the TDP party scaled down its operations in Telangana, opting to first focus on Andhra Pradesh before re-entering the Telangana’s political field, where it had earlier experienced significant success before the division of the larger Andhra Pradesh state into Telangana and Andhra.
People of both the Telugu states know that Revanth’s entry into the Congress party was driven by certain unfavourable circumstances and political compulsions, at the time. His decision to apply for membership to the Congress was not motivated by his interest or belief in the Congress’s ideology or its political methods. Instead, it was driven by incidents and circumstances that he found himself in, which left him with little choice. He had to choose between the Congress and the BRS party in 2017 at a time when the BJP did not have a significant presence in the state. He tendered his resignation from the TDP with the blessings of Chandrababu Naidu, exiting the party on favourable terms.
There was little choice for him even after the division of the larger state in 2014, as the TDP party chose to prioritize its presence in Andhra first, before its comeback in Telangana. Revanth who hails from Telangana was faced with a choice between choosing an established Congress party in Telangana and a fledgling BJP state unit, which had not yet established its larger presence in the state. Telangana’s BRS party headed by K Chandrasekhar Rao was never a choice, as Revanth and Rao have had several political as well as personal differences of opinion on multiple issues.
It was evident that Revanth gravitated towards the Congress based on his circumstances. However, once he joined the party, he worked hard and established himself, despite a harsh backlash from the party’s old timers in the state, who were still reminiscing the past, unopposed successes of the party in the larger state, before the founding of the TDP party.
His cordial relations with both the BJP and the TDP while making an effort not to unnecessarily or publicly antagonize the BRS party in Telangana or the YSRCP party in Andhra, is admirable. It’s early days yet since he spearheaded the Congress party’s victory in the 2023 state elections thus far, his tact and diplomacy have paid off, both at the state and the central level.
Senior Congress leaders in the state, continue to be cautious of Revanth, given his previous non-congress political background. Some leaders continue to disapprove of his friendly working relations with the opposition parties in the state.
Revanth’s statements as well as decisions and actions are different than that of a typical Congress man. They do not reflect any of the angst, bitterness and childish personal attacks on the Opposition and its leaders that the Congress is derided for. Thus far, he has not completely bowed down to the personal whims of the Nehru clan either. It may be too soon to discuss but Revanth’s behaviour, relations with the opposition, his measured words and economy-focused business decisions….point to a reasonable man wanting to run the state of Telangana without unnecessary squabbles with the opposition.
He appears to be a leader, striving to administer the state as effectively as possible, with reasonable cooperation from his colleagues of the opposition ranks – a stark contrast to the immature behaviour and tantrums of the current YSRCP chief minister in the sister-state of Andhra, where ordinary citizens are fed up of CM Jagan Reddy’s ineffective administration of the state and his obsession for targeting and picking quarrels with all opposition leaders in the state.
In the short period of three months since he took over the reigns of Telangana’s administration after ousting BRS’s Chandrasekhar Rao, his tactful, cordial relationship with the BJP at the Centre is reflected is this brief list of Revanth’s actions:
– Adani Projects for Telangana: Gautam Adani and Revanth have signed four MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) for large projects in Telangana covering Green energy, Infrastructure, Defence and Data Centre management. The Adani group, known for its close links to the BJP central government, will provide thousands of jobs in the state.
– Ayodhya Ram Temple: Revanth stayed away from making Congress-style statements on the Ayodhya Ram Mandir inaugurated by PM Modi. Instead, he openly spoke about Lord Ram being a Divine entity for all Hindus and all believers, regardless of political affiliation, further adding that the Ayodhya temple would be a worthy visit for all believers of Lord Ram’s spiritual and human legacy.
– Support for the Centre’s Padma awardees and Venkaiah Naidu’s candidacy for Presidency: In a clear deviance from the typical stance of the Congress, Revanth graciously accepted the Centre’s final list of the 2024 Padma awardees, including the five Padma award winners from Telangana state. He felicitated them in Hyderabad, announced an additional cash award and pension during the felicitation ceremony and openly talked about his admiration for senior BJP leader and ex Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu. He talked about his support for the candidature of Mr Naidu for the post of President of India, given the senior leader’s political experience, dedication to the nation’s well-being and his reputation as a gentleman of honour.
– Ambuja Cements: In a reflection of trust and mutual understanding with its parent company (Adani), Revanth’s government signed an MoU with Ambuja Cements for building a mega cement plant in Telangana, hoping for substantial
revenue-generation for both the company and the state.
Unlike the previous BRS government headed by ex Telangana chief minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, Revanth chooses to stay away from the politics of neighboring Andhra Pradesh, thus not causing a disruption to the plans of either the TDP and its allies or the BJP.
In a demonstration of amicable relations with the BJP at the Centre, Revanth is rumored to not cause interference of any kind, in the ED’s “Delhi Liquorgate” case again K Kavitha, ex-Telangana minister in the previous BRS government led by her father, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. It is also rumored in political circles that the BJP has indicated it would not interfere if Revanth Reddy chooses to launch a future investigation into some money-laundering schemes and discrepancies in government contracts, that ex-CM and BRS party chief, Chandrasekhar Rao stands accused of.
In spite of political compulsions and certain statements made periodically for temporary political gains, Telangana’s Revanth Reddy appears to be a politician who understands the need to have a cordial work relationship to whatever extent possible, with all parties including the BJP, based on reasonable expections, mutual understanding and reciprocation.
Shivani is a freelance writer from Vijayawada.
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