Revanth Reddy is one of the most prominent and influential leaders in Telangana politics. He started his political career as a Zilla Parishad chairman in 2006 and rose to become the Chief Minister of Telangana in December 2023.
Here’s is a brief overview of his journey from a grassroots leader to the head of the state:
Revanth Reddy was born in 1969 in Kondareddy Pally village of Mahbubnagar district. He completed his graduation from Osmania University and joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 2004. He contested and won the Zilla Parishad elections in 2006 and became the chairman of Mahbubnagar ZP. He was instrumental in implementing several development and welfare schemes in his district.
In 2009, he contested and won the assembly elections from Kodangal constituency. He soon emerged as a vocal and fiery critic of the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and his son Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in united Andhra Pradesh. He exposed several corruption scandals and irregularities in the government and earned the reputation of being a fearless and honest leader.
In 2014, he retained his Kodangal seat and became the floor leader of TDP in the Telangana assembly. He opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and fought for the rights and interests of Telangana people. He also challenged the TRS government led by K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on various issues such as farmers’ distress, unemployment, power crisis, irrigation projects, land acquisition, etc.
In 2017, he faced a major setback when he was caught in a “cash-for-vote” scam involving an MLC election. He was arrested and sent to jail for 14 days. He alleged that it was a political conspiracy by KCR and Jagan to tarnish his image and silence his voice. He came out of jail with more determination and courage to fight against the corrupt and authoritarian regimes.
In 2018, he quit TDP and joined the Congress party along with several other TDP leaders. He said that he took this decision to strengthen the Opposition and to defeat the TRS and BJP in Telangana. He won his Kodangal seat for the third time and became the working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC).
In 2019, he played a key role in forging an alliance between Congress and other regional parties such as TJS, CPI, etc. He campaigned extensively across the state and exposed the failures and misdeeds of the TRS government. He also highlighted the achievements and promises of the Congress-led alliance. He attracted huge crowds with his charismatic speeches and witty remarks.
In 2020, he faced another challenge when he was booked for allegedly flying a drone over KCR’s farm house without permission. He claimed that he was conducting a survey of illegal encroachment of government lands by KCR and his family members. He accused KCR of misusing his power and violating the law. He challenged KCR to prove his innocence and face him in a public debate.
In 2021, he became the president of TPCC after the resignation of N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. He revamped the party organization and brought new energy and enthusiasm among the party workers and supporters. He launched several campaigns and programs to connect with the people and to highlight their issues and demands. He also reached out to various sections of society such as farmers, students, women, youth, minorities, etc.
In 2022, he led the Congress party amid the BJP’s entry into Telangana and Bandi Sanjay making the BJP stronger. He alleged that it was the people’s verdict against the misrule and corruption of KCR and his family members. He also said that it was a signal for the upcoming assembly elections in 2023.
In 2023, he became the Chief Minister of Telangana after leading the Congress party to a thumping majority in the assembly elections. He defeated K. Chandrasekhar Rao to become the 2nd Chief Minister of Telangana. He thanked the people of Telangana for giving him a chance to serve them and vowed to fulfill the 6 guarantees that the Congress party has promised.. He also said that he would work for the development and welfare of all sections of society without any discrimination or favoritism or divisions.
In fact, he has vowed to unite people and also ensure that the Opposition is given a democratic space to voice their concerns, unlike during KCR’s governance where the Opposition was silenced.
