After days of speculation, the Congress central leadership officially declared A. Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president, as its choice for the Chief Minister of Telangana. He is set to take the oath of office on December 7, making him the first Congress Chief Minister in the state since its formation in 2014.
The decision came after Congress observers, including Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and party in-charge for Telangana Manikrao Thakare, submitted a favorable report following the Telangana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on December 4 in Hyderabad. The Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, endorsed Revanth Reddy’s selection based on the observers’ feedback.
All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal affirmed the party’s commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of Telangana’s people, describing Revanth Reddy as a dynamic leader who campaigned extensively alongside senior party members in the recent elections.
According to Venugopal, the party’s top priority is to keep the promises made to the people of Telangana. He emphasized that governance would be a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders in the state.
Revanth Reddy’s selection for the CLP leader position superseded Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who were also contenders for the Chief Minister’s post. Both aspirants had met separately with the central observers and D.K. Shivakumar earlier.
Following the appointment of Revanth Reddy as Chief Minister, the focus now shifts to forming the new Council of Ministers. With a maximum of 17 ministers, besides the Chief Minister, allowed in the Cabinet, the party faces the challenge of accommodating aspirations from among its 64 MLAs, comprising a blend of newcomers and seasoned politicians.
