Revanth Reddy: From ABVP to top contender of CM’s post in Telangana

Hyderabad: Congress president in Telangana Anumula Revanth Reddy has risen from a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to emerging as a top contender for the chief minister’s post in the state as the grand old party cemented its position in southern India with the win in Telangana assembly polls.

Congress has crossed the majority mark in Telangana and is set to dethrone the K Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS government.

After the 10th round of voting, State Congress president and candidate from Kamareddy, Revanth Reddy is leading by a margin of 2207 votes, garnering a total of 32,950 votes so far. Incumbent CM and BRS candidate against him from here, K Chandrashekar Rao is trailing from this seat.

KCR’s dream of hitting a hat trick was shattered as Congress’ hand stopped BRS’ car ride.
After graduating from Osmania University, Revanth Reddy was an ABVP member while he was a student.
From being active in politics from the start, in 2007, Revanth Reddy was elected as a MLC as an independent candidate. Later, he joined the Telugu Desam Party.

He won the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in 2014 from Kodangal seat with a vote share of 46.45 percent.
In the 2014 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, He again won from the same seat with a vote share of 39.06 percent.

He left the TDP and joined Congress in 2017.
He contested the 2018 Telangana Assembly elections from Kodangal as a Congress candidate but lost to the BRS (then TRS) candidate, marking his first defeat in any election.
He won the seat of Malkajgiri in the 2019 general elections and became the MP by a margin of 10,919 votes.
In June 2021, he was appointed as president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee replacing N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Revanth Reddy was criticised within the Congress for changing the style of functioning as a state chief but the party high command still backed him. He was projected as a big leader in the state, with the party putting him besides the CM KCR in the Telangana elections.
Congress workers raised slogans of ‘CM-CM’ in favour of state party president Revanth Reddy, as he arrived at the party office in Hyderabad after it became clear that Congress is winning the state with a clear majority.
Celebrations were seen outside the Congress office in Hyderabad over the party crossing the halfway mark comfortably. Party cadre chanted “Bye bye KCR”.
Congress workers pour milk on a poster featuring Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party MP Rahul Gandhi and state party chief Revanth Reddy as the party continues its lead in the state.
The Telangana election results were important for the Congress as the country will vote in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A win in Karnataka and Telangana would further cement Congress’ presence in the South.