HYDERABAD: It’s official. A Revanth Reddy will be sworn in as the next chief minister of Telangana on December 7. The Congress high command announced Revanth’s name following daylong deliberations with the AICC observers and the other two contenders for the post — Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and N Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters along with Vikramarka and Uttam on Tuesday, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that observers — DK Shivakumar and Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre — gave a detailed report on their observations about the CLP meeting.
“After considering the report, and following discussions, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has decided to go with Revanth Reddy, TPCC president, as the new CLP leader of Telangana,” Venugopal said.
He said that the Congress government will be a team and not a one-man-show in the state and that the party will give due recognition to seniors.
Expressing gratitude to the party high command for selecting him as the chief minister, Revanth tweeted, “I wholeheartedly express my gratitude to honourable AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Mother of Telangana our beloved Soniamma, ever inspiring leader Rahul Gandhi ji, charismatic Priyanka Gandhi ji, AICC general secretary (Org) KC Venugopal ji, deputy CM of Karnataka DK Shivakumar ji and in-charge general secretary- Telangana Manikrao Thakre ji and last but not the least, our Congress soldiers who stood by us through thick and thin (sic)”.
Bhatti, Uttam convinced
After the election results were declared, Vikramarka and Uttam had thrown their hats in the ring. However, on Tuesday morning, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi called on Kharge at his residence in Delhi to finalise the decision on the selection of Telangana CM. During the meeting, Kharge informed AICC observers that their choice was Revanth. Following this, the AICC observers spoke to Vikramarka and Uttam, assuring them of key positions in the party and government. Earlier in the day, Uttam said that he was most eligible to become the chief minister as he was a six-time MLA and a sitting MP, and had worked in the Congress throughout his career as a loyal soldier. He, however, said that he would abide by the high command’s decision.
Youngest CM of TS
At 54, Revanth will be the second and youngest chief minister of Telangana and the third youngest in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Known as a firebrand and dynamic leader, he brought the Congress to power within three years after assuming the reins of TPCC by revitalising the moribund party. In the light of the ‘one person, one post’ resolution adopted at the 85th plenary of the Congress in Raipur, also known as the ‘Raipur Declaration’, it remains to be seen who would be the next TPCC president. However, it is speculated that the party may appoint Vikramarka as the TPCC president.
Portfolio probables
Meanwhile, Revanth was summoned to Delhi to decide on the portfolios. It is speculated that the new Cabinet could include Vikramarka, Uttam, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka), Jupally Krishna Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar, Konda Surekha, Shabbir Ali, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and others.
Revanth’s road to head of TS govt