Revanth Reddy's Political Triumph: A Soccer Fan's Strategic Play Leads Congress Revival in Telangana

Anamula Revanth Reddy, an avid fan of Argentina's soccer legend Diego Maradona, recently achieved a political milestone by leading the Congress party's revival in Telangana. Despite facing the formidable challenge of ousting Chief Minister K Chandrashekhara Rao and his entrenched family from power, Reddy successfully orchestrated the Congress comeback, marking a significant turnaround from the party's expulsion from the region a decade ago.

Notably, Reddy's political journey began with the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and he later affiliated with the Telugu Desam Party and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Having worked with both KCR and former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy's diverse political experiences played a crucial role in his efforts to rejuvenate the Congress.

Appointed as the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president in 2021, Reddy faced the daunting task of rebuilding the party from scratch. Despite the majority of Congress leaders in the region defecting to other parties, Reddy, known for his oratory skills, strategically embarked on a journey to woo back former party members through the 'Ghar Wapsi' program.

Harati Vageesan, a political analyst based in Hyderabad, suggests that Reddy tapped into the strong desire of the Reddy community to reclaim political influence. The historically powerful Reddy community, economically robust in both Telugu-speaking states, had lost its political dominance with the demise of YSR Reddy.

Reddy's meticulous approach involved persuading former leaders, including those from the Reddy community, to rejoin the Congress. He addressed their concerns about the party's sincerity and initiated 'Operation Hasta' to attract leaders from the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the BJP. Leveraging his connections from the Telugu Desam Party, Reddy successfully garnered support for the Congress, evident in the recent elections where the TDP vote bank shifted towards the Congress.

Known for his aggressive political style, Reddy energized party cadres through agitations and faced police action from the ruling BRS. Despite criticism from some party colleagues, he gained full backing from the Congress leadership in Delhi, allowing him to build the party as he saw fit. Reddy's astute political moves and ability to channelize public discontent against KCR and the ruling BRS positioned him as a prominent leader. With his strategic maneuvers, Reddy is now poised to become the next Chief Minister of Telangana.