Revanth Reddy Takes Oath As Telangana Chief Minister, Gandhis On Stage
Revanth Reddy, assuming the mantle of Telangana’s Chief Minister, orchestrated a triumphant procession within the stadium alongside Sonia Gandhi before undertaking the solemn oath. Anumula Revanth Reddy, the luminary leader of the Telangana Congress and pivotal in orchestrating the party’s resounding success in the Assembly polls on November 30, now stands as the state’s second Chief Minister. The investiture ceremony, witnessed by an assemblage approaching nearly 100,000, transpired at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, where Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan administered the oath of office to Mr. Reddy.
In addition to Mr. Reddy, eleven cabinet members pledged their commitment to this ceremonial rite. Noteworthy among them, Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka assumed the role of Deputy Chief Minister, and the erstwhile Telangana Congress chief, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, stood alongside, despite earlier reservations about Revanth Reddy’s candidacy for Chief Minister. The remaining eight individuals joining the cabinet ranks include Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Damodar Raja Narasimha, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Dana Anasuya, Tummala Nageswar Rao, Konda Surekha, and Jupally Krishna Rao.
The ceremony witnessed the distinguished presence of the Gandhi family – Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – along with Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended felicitations to Mr. Reddy, pledging unwavering support for Telangana’s advancement.
Before the investiture, Mr. Reddy and Mrs. Gandhi embarked on a celebratory procession within the stadium, traversing the grounds in an open vehicle. The Congress, decisively vanquishing the K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the ruling party in Telangana since its inception in 2014, secured 65 out of 119 Assembly seats.
Referred to as Tiger Revanth by his ardent supporters, Mr. Reddy played a pivotal role in orchestrating the Congress’s triumph. A former TDP luminary, he defected to the Congress in 2017, ascending to the position of Telangana Congress president in 2021. Over the preceding biennium, Mr. Reddy spearheaded an impassioned campaign against the KCR-led government, leading street protests and public demonstrations on various fronts.
Despite the victory, Mr. Reddy faced internal opposition within the party. Detractors pointed to corruption allegations and insinuated financial improprieties related to electoral ticket distribution. Mr. Reddy, cognizant of the imperative of securing loyalists’ support, diligently maneuvered to secure tickets for his adherents. The Congress leadership, cognizant of the delicate equilibrium, affirmed Mr. Reddy’s ascent to the apex.
Now at the helm as Chief Minister, Mr. Reddy confronts the formidable task of translating the Congress’s electoral promises into tangible achievements, setting the stage for the impending Lok Sabha elections in six months.