Anumula Revanth Reddy, a pivotal figure within the Telangana Congress responsible for the party’s landslide victory in the November 30 Assembly polls, was inaugurated today as the state’s second Chief Minister.
Taking center stage at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, Mr. Reddy received the oath of office from Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in the presence of nearly 100,000 spectators.
The cabinet formation included 11 ministers alongside Mr. Revanth Reddy, with Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. Interestingly, former Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, despite opposing Revanth Reddy’s candidacy, was among the cabinet appointees.
Other Cabinet members included Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Damodar Rajanarasimha, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Dana Anasuya, Tummala Nageswar Rao, Konda Surekha, and Jupally Krishna Rao.
Distinguished political figures, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar graced the ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Mr. Reddy, pledging unwavering support for Telangana’s progress.
Revanth Reddy CM Oath Ceremony; Sonia Gandhi Embarks on a Victory Lap
Before the oath-taking, Mr. Reddy and Mrs. Gandhi embarked on a victory lap within the stadium aboard an open vehicle.
The Congress party emerged victorious in a remarkable upset, defeating the K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which had been in power since the state’s establishment in 2014, securing 65 out of 119 Assembly seats.
Revanth Reddy‘s strategic contributions are widely acknowledged as instrumental to the Congress’s triumph. Having switched allegiance from the TDP to the Congress in 2017, he assumed the role of Telangana Congress president in 2021.
Over the past two years, Mr. Reddy spearheaded an assertive campaign against the KCR-led administration, leading street protests and public demonstrations on various issues. These efforts culminated in the Congress’s victory over the BRS.
However, challenges awaited Mr. Reddy post-victory, as internal dissent surfaced within the party. Detractors cited corruption allegations and accused him of accepting bribes for electoral tickets.
