Revanth Reddy: Congress's Telangana star in fake video crosshairs

When Revanth Reddy became the Telangana Chief Minister in December 2023, his predecessor, K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), had called the newly elected government a "Lilliputian regime". He had predicted that Revanth's government wouldn't last beyond a year.

KCR's son and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President KT Rama Rao had predicted that Revanth would himself cross over to the BJP soon after the Lok Sabha elections.

So far, both Revanth Reddy and his Congress government in Telanga are intact and the fierce, first-generation leader with a background with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) -- the students' wing of the RSS -- is leading the Congress campaign in Telangana for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The Congress is fighting the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, and Revanth Reddy is at the centre of the three-cornered fight.

Congress' efforts in containing the BJP and making its way up the tally in Telangana is powered by Revanth Reddy. He has been playing Mandal politics and alleging that the BJP is planning to scrap the reservation system.

"By 2025, the RSS will complete 100 years. They are trying to scrap SC, ST, OBC reservations by 2025. Many times, RSS and BJP leaders have commented about reservations," the Congress leader said at a public rally on April 25.

The BJP has vehemently denied Revanth's allegations about reservations, and it is this issue that has popped up as an obstacle at the peak of election campaigning.

REVANTH REDDY SEEKS TIME FROM DELHI POLICE

The Delhi Police recently summoned the 54-year-old Telangana CM in connection with the doctored videos of Home Minister Amit Shah being circulated online. Revanth Reddy had been asked to be in New Delhi on Wednesday (May 1) for questioning, along with all his electronic gadgets.

The video in question, which the BJP called fake, appeared on the X handle of the Telangana Congress, and claimed the BJP planned to abolish reservations.

Revanth Reddy retaliated, saying he "was not afraid," and accused the BJP and PM Narendra Modi of exploiting the Delhi Police for their "political gains".

On May 1, the day he was summoned by Delhi Police, Revanth sent his legal counsel and sought 15 days' time. A reply has been filed that says that Revanth had no role in uploading or sharing the fake video, according to his lawyer. The lawyer said he wasn't managing the Telangana Congress's X handle.

With voting in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka done, Telangana will vote on May 13 in the fourth phase. Given the importance of south Indian seats in PM Modi's 400-paar ambition, Revanth Reddy being busy with the Special Cell of Delhi Police, could hurt the Congress' march forward.

That is why Revanth Reddy on Wednesday sought 15 days' time from Delhi Police.

HOW REVANTH REDDY ROSE THE CONGRESS RANKS

The Congress party forming the government under Revanth Reddy in Telangana was seen as a big win for the party in a state it helped create in 2024, but never got a chance to rule.

Following Revanth Reddy's on-ground activism and mobilising local opposition against the KCR government, he was elevated to the Telangana Congress chief's post in July 2021, barely four years after his induction into the party.

Revanth Reddy, who was earlier with the N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP), joined the Congress in 2017. The TDP is fighting the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly election in an alliance with the BJP.

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar played a big role in Revanth being tasked with leading the Congress in Telangana.

The newcomer's appointment to the top post was seen as a clear sign by the high-command, ahead of the 2023 assembly polls in the state, much to the dislike of other contenders eyeing the post.

After he became the state Congress chief, Revanth intensified his ground visibility, leading street protests, to attack the ruling BRS government on various issues, like the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and the Dharani portal.

Meanwhile, he also played a role in getting more than 30 BRS leaders into the Congress fold at various levels.

REVANTH LEADS THE CONGRESS TO VICTORY IN TELANGANA

Emboldened by the Karnataka assembly win in May 2023, Revanth Reddy was seen as someone who could lead the party like DK Shivakumar did in Karnataka.

He was the chosen one to take on the incumbent BRS, ruling the state since June 2014.

"It is at this time that all of us in Congress convened and decided that we had to up our game. Revanth Reddy then took over the narrative and stepped into the shoes of a leader," said Congress spokesperson Srikanth Bhandaru.

Revanth Reddy's padayatra in February 2023 was a turning point, according to Hari Kasula, the founder of campaign strategy firm PsyBe.

"He began taking on KCR directly and attacking the family. This was something that no Congress leader earlier had dared to do," said Hyderabad-based Hari Kasula.

The Congress bagged a majority in the 119-seat house, winning 64 seats against the BRS's 39 seats. Although there were a some contenders for the top-job in Telangana, Revanth Reddy was named the next CM from a poll of multiple probables like N Uttam Kumar and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, to form the first Congress government in the state it created in 2014.

Following the Karnataka win, the Telangana victory enabled by Revanth, amidst Congress' diminishing hold in the heartland states, was a big deal.

CONGRESS CAMPAIGN IN TELANGANA IS ALL ABOUT REVANTH

The Lok Sabha poll dates were announced just months after Revanth Reddy became the Telangana Chief Minister. He has made the general election campaign in Telangana all about himself.

He declared the Lok Sabha election as a referendum on the first 100 days of his government in Telangana. The declaration, a deviation from the "top-bottom" Congress. The message coming directly from Revanth, not the high command, however, raised eyebrows.

Despite Revanth Reddy's earlier claim of "the Congress going...without a one-man show", the Telangana Congress seems to be heavily influenced by Revanth Reddy, with many key decisions ahead of the Lok Sabha election reflecting his preferences.

The distribution of tickets ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha election is one of them.

Be it the Bhuvanagiri seat and managing the Komatireddy brothers, to fielding desirable candidates at Chevella, Secunderabad, Warangal and Malkajgiri, Revanth Reddy did it all.

In Malkajgiri, the constituency that Revanth Reddy represented in the lower house before assuming the CM's role, he was seen micromanaging affairs towards making sure his candidate, Patnam Sunitha Mahender Reddy, won.

Moreover, Revanth Reddy is on the campaign trail with a 'star campaigner' tag.

Revanth Reddy, who has aimed for 14 seats out of 17, is employing several sharp points to attack, not just the BRS, but also the BJP.

The Telangana CM, throughout his rallies and fierce addresses across the state, had been talking of a "BJP-BRS secret deal" for the Lok Sabha polls and has been alleging that both the parties are acting in cahoots to hurt the Congress' poll prospects.

The BRS and the BJP, though, are bitter rivals. KCR's daughter and BRS leader K Kavitha, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last month in the Excise Policy case, is seeking bail.

Revanth Reddy is running a fierce campaign on the ground and is alleging that the BJP has declared a "final battle" against the Indian Constitution and is "conspiring to abolish reservations". He even warned that "every vote given to the BJP would contribute to eliminating reservations".

The BJP has been trying its best to counter those allegations.

Reacting to the Delhi Police summons, which is on a fake video on reservations, Revanth Reddy said, he would "respond with a befitting reply that they (BJP) will never forget".

However, the strong reply and other statements aimed at the BJP aside, the police summons might put Revanth Reddy in some inconvenience amid the election campaign on which the Congress's tally depends.

A big win here, and Revanth Reddy will have proved how he enjoys public support. The stakes are high as he has made the Lok Sabha election all about himself in Telangana.