ZPTC to Chief Minister : Revanth Reddy’s Political Journey

Revanth Reddy, a name echoing throughout Telangana, is set to take the oath as the new Chief Minister of the state tomorrow, on December 7th. After the formation of Telangana, as a staunch TDP leader, Revanth Reddy faced a significant dilemma when the party started losing its presence in the region. Eventually, he resigned from the TDP in 2017 and joined the Congress party. Little did he anticipate that, within a span of just six years, he would rise to the position of Chief Minister. Revanth Reddy, equipped with the qualities of a mass leader and a stroke of luck, navigated the political landscape successfully, culminating in his ascent to the CM post.

Revanth Reddy’s Background

Revanth Reddy was born on November 08, 1969, in Kondareddypalli village, Nagarkurnool district, to Anumula Narsimha Reddy and Ramachandramma. He pursued his degree at AV College, Hyderabad. In 1992, he married Geetha, the daughter of the late Congress senior leader Jaipla Reddy’s brother, Padmanabha Reddy. The couple has a daughter named Nymisha Reddy. During his college days, Revanth was actively involved with the ABVP, the student wing of the RSS. Subsequently, he ventured into entrepreneurship, initially running a printing press and later establishing himself in the real estate business, achieving financial stability.

Also Read: Suspense Ends: Revanth Reddy The New Chief Minister Of Telangana

Revanth Reddy’s Political career

Revanth Reddy began his political journey with KCR’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) during the years 2001-02. In the 2004 elections, he expected the MLA ticket from Kalwakurthy within the TRS, but due to the alliance between the Congress and TRS, the ticket was allocated to the Congress candidate Yadma Kista Reddy. Undeterred, Revanth Reddy contested and emerged victorious as the Midjil ZPTC member in the combined Mahabubnagar district in 2006. Subsequently, in 2007, he secured a win as an independent candidate for the Member of Legislative Council (MLC).

Later, Revanth Reddy joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and achieved his first victory as an MLA from the Kodangal constituency in 2009. Continuing his success, he secured a consecutive second term from Kodangal in the 2014 elections. During the period of 2014-2017, he served as the working president of TDP in Telangana. However, with the anti-Telangana stance taken by TDP against the formation of the separate state, the party faced decline in Telangana and gradually lost its presence. Anticipating a dim political future within TDP, Revanth Reddy parted ways with the party in 2017 and joined the Congress. In 2018, he was appointed as the working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC).

After the formation of Telangana, the Congress party has struggled with a lack of effective leadership to counter KCR in the state. In the 2018 assembly elections, the party was restricted to a mere 19 seats, with Revanth suffering defeat in Kodangal against BRS candidate Patnam Narender Reddy. Subsequently, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Revanth secured victory as an MP from Malkajgiri with a margin of just 10,000 votes. The GHMC elections saw the party clinching only 2 seats, leading to Uttam Kumar Reddy’s resignation from the post of PCC chief.

Despite facing opposition from senior leaders such as Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Jagga Reddy, V Hanumantha Rao, etc., Congress, after nearly a year’s delay, eventually appointed Revanth Reddy as the TPCC chief. However, even after assuming office, he encountered opposition from within the party’s senior ranks, and his tenure witnessed no significant acheivements. The party suffered defeats in the Huzurabad and Nagarjuna Sagar by-elections. Yet, Revanth’s assertive leadership and mass appeal played a pivotal role in gaining momentum for the party in the state. Taking advantage of anti-incumbency sentiments against the BRS government, Congress secured 64 out of 119 seats in Telangana.

Following the electoral success, speculation abounded regarding the choice of Chief Minister. Ultimately, the Congress high command entrusted this responsibility to Revanth Reddy, the leader who led the party to victory. He is set to be sworn in as the second Chief Minister of Telangana on December 7th at LB Stadium.

‘Cash for Vote’ case

When Revanth Reddy was a member of the Telugu Desam Party, he was caught by the anti-corruption bureau in 2015 for allegedly offering a bribe to BRS nominated MLA Stephenson, seeking his support in the then MLC elections. The leaked audio tapes of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu in connection with the case created a sensation in Telugu state politics. Subsequently, Revanth Reddy was went in Charlapally jail, but later released on bail. This ‘cash for vote’ case remains a significant mark in his political career.