By Sushil Kutty
Anumula Revanth Reddy is the new Telangana Chief Minister. Also known as ‘Tiger’ Revanth, he took Bharat Rashtra Samithi supremo K Chandrashekar Rao’s place. Reddy is the first Congress Chief Minister of Telangana and faces the daunting task of reviving Telangana’s financial fortunes. For those who believe ‘KCR’ left Telangana in the pink of health, they ought to give Revanth Reddy a long rope. Revanth Reddy is up against KCR’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party with the all too difficult 2024 general elections hardly months away.
So is Revanth Reddy upto the challenge? Winning Telangana in his first attempt as Telangana Congress Chief was commendable, especially considering his youth and K Chandrashekar Rao’s stature. ‘KCR’ has dominated Telangana politics and the two-time Chief Minister harboured national ambitions, which Revanth Reddy put paid to. KCR will remember Revanth Reddy who also put paid to KCR’s dream to install his son ‘KTR’ in the Telangana Chief Minister’s chair.
For sure, KCR isn’t a well-wisher of Revanth Reddy, who is solidly in the good books of the Gandhi family. In fact, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were at Revanth Reddy’s oath-taking ceremony in Hyderabad. Revanth Reddy had contested from two assembly seats but lost from one and won the other.
The new Telangana Chief Minister is that rare Congress leader who has given the Congress reason to celebrate notwithstanding the Congress defeats in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal were basking in the reflected glory of ‘Tiger’ Revanth at Reddy’s swearing in ceremony. The two should learn from Revanth’s victory. What was it about Revanth that sets him apart from Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel?
Revanth Reddy’s next challenge is to win as many Lok Sabha seats as is possible from Telangana for the Congress. The state of Telangana has 17 Lok Sabha seats and it’s not necessary that the Congress wins more of those seats just because Revanth Reddy won the Telangana assembly for the Congress. ‘Tiger’ Revanth will have to talk in different terms and tones for the Lok Sabha elections.
Voters do not generally conflate assembly elections with the general elections. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will have the daunting and challenging task of selling Rahul Gandhi to the Telangana electorate, not quite knowing how Telangana-ites looked at Rahul Gandhi as a leader. General elections 2024 will be more about Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi than about Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Then again, did Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra contribute to Revanth Reddy’s Telangana triumph? It surely must not have contributed to the Congress defeats in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Truth is, after the Telangana victory, Revanth Reddy’s charisma is a tested reality whereas years and decades in the Congress limelight haven’t seen Rahul Gandhi’s charisma shining bright. ‘Tiger’ Revanth is all the rage in Telangana and that should not be lost in the glare of the Gandhi family aura.
Important thing is, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy should not slide into complacency because of the outstanding Congress victory in the assembly elections. Particularly not get defeated by the notion that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be a piece of cake after the 2023 victory parade. There are two clever and cunning adversaries waiting in the wings, one of them smarting after being unseated and unable to fulfill the promise made to a son. Complacency should be completely off Revanth Reddy’s table.
Much will depend on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s performance in the first months in office. Don’t forget he’s a ‘fresher’ and new to administration. ‘Guarantee’ is the current fad and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has quite a few poll guarantees to fulfill immediately after taking office. Telangana has set its eyes on Revanth Reddy and he cannot escape scrutiny – there’s not a single place to hide in the entire Telangana. The results of non-performance will be punished in the 2024 general elections.
So, why take the risk? Look at the Bharatiya Janata. The entire BJP middle-leadership is cued to securing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third term. There is no space for compromise or complacency. So much so, Shivraj Chouhan is playing the “2024 ko Modi ko Jitana hai” card to become Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister all over again. Ditto Vasundhara Raje Scindia in Rajasthan.
Point is, despite all the difficulties, Revanth Reddy should not take his eyes off the Lok Sabha elections as his next target. The promise to win the entire quota of Telangana’s parliamentary seats should rival the determination of the BJP to secure a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides, BRS and KCR have nothing more to lose after the assembly elections defeat. KCR will concentrate all his efforts and resources to winning Telangana’s Lok Sabha seats. At least 3 potential Lok Sabha MPs from the Rao family alone are a possibility.
The Congress made “six guarantees” to the Telangana electorate and it is Revanth Reddy’s job to deliver them. These six guarantees contributed to the Congress victory. They include free travel for women in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses and waiving off farm loans of upto Rs 2 lakh. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy shouldn’t forget that in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book both women and ‘kisan’ are two of four castes and prime electorate –therefore, important to the 2024 general elections. (IPA Service)
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