Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Mar 23: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is steadily consolidating his position within both the government and the state unit of the Indian National Congress, signalling a clear push to promote young leaders and build a loyal support base.
The move is evident in the recent appointment of party Whips to the Assembly and Legislative Council. The three newly appointed Assembly Whips — Vemula Veeresham, Vijaya Ramana Rao and Yennam Srinivas Reddy — are relatively recent entrants to the Congress from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), respectively.
Similarly, first-time legislators Addanki Dayakar and Venkat Balmoor, known to be close to the Chief Minister, have been appointed as Whips in the Legislative Council. Senior leader Patnam Mahender Reddy will continue as Government Chief Whip in the Council.
Sources said the appointments reflect Revanth Reddy’s growing influence despite the presence of a coordination committee meant to bridge the gap between the government and the party. The panel includes Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, and senior ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Damodar Raja Narasimha. The inclusion of Minister Seethakka, a close confidante of the Chief Minister, had drawn attention.
Recent developments involving senior leader T. Jeevan Reddy have further highlighted internal dynamics. Jeevan Reddy reportedly expressed displeasure over the induction of a BRS MLA from his constituency without consultation, but received little reassurance.
Within party circles, the episode is being seen as a signal that dissent against the Chief Minister’s strategy may not be tolerated. His recent remarks in the Assembly, where he asserted that he would “crush” opposition forces in future elections, have reinforced perceptions of his firm control.
At present, there appears to be no visible challenger to Revanth Reddy within the state unit. His organisational decisions suggest a clear intent to avoid parallel power centres while laying the groundwork for long-term political dominance.
Despite strengthening his position in the state, Revanth Reddy has consistently expressed loyalty to the Congress high command, crediting Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for trusting him during a crucial phase.
Having led the Congress to power in Telangana after a decade of BRS rule under K. Chandrashekar Rao, his leadership is now seen as central to both governance and the party’s future direction in the state.