When Anumula Revanth Reddy joined the Congress, exactly one year back, nobody imagined that his rise would be meteoric. More so since he had exited the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in disgrace—he was caught on tape allegedly trying to bribe a nominated MLA to influence the MLC elections in Telangana. He spent more than a month in jail in the case, in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s name also cropped up. The general impression was that with innumerable power centres and Reddy camps existing within the Congress, Revanth would find going tough in his new political residence.
Cut to 2018. The two-time MLA of Kodangal is the mass leader that the Congress desperately needs. The 49-year-old has been made the working president, bypassing many senior aspirants, and is now a star campaigner for the party. At any Congress event, Reddy’s speeches evoke great response from the cadre. His stinging criticism and sharp rhetoric are major hits. On more than one occasion, the Congress high command got a taste of his grassroots sway. At a public meeting held in Medchal on the city outskirts last month, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were in attendance. Reddy got the loudest cheer when compared to other local or national leaders at the meet.
After every trial in the dock, Reddy emerged more powerful than before. Recently, there were raids by income tax officials on his Hyderabad residence, when he was busy campaigning in his constituency. The raids continued for 48 hours even after he returned. This generated sympathy among his supporters and he used this opportunity to accuse the ruling party of targeting him. The stature of Revanth Reddy grew in the following days to such an extent that he is now one of the few leaders flying in choppers, hopping from one meeting to another, responding to requests from other candidates of the ‘Mahakutami’.
A recent incident further elevated the star image of Reddy. According to sources, the Congress leader was trying his best to make sure that public, in large numbers, did not attend a rally by caretaker chief minister and TRS founder K. Chandrashekar Rao in the former's constituency. Grand feasts were arranged in different villages, while Reddy announced a bandh, which prompted the TRS to lodge a complaint with the election commission.
In the wee hours of Tuesday, Reddy was taken into preventive custody. The visuals of Reddy forcibly taken away from his bedroom, and the police breaking open the doors, had its impact. The Congress leaders projected it as a direct attack on the opposition parties by the ruling TRS. Almost every senior leader of Congress campaigning in Telangana condemned the incident. The state unit of the party threatened to drag the chief election officer to court. The family members and Congress party workers questioned why no arrest warrant or legal documents were furnished before Reddy was bundled into the police vehicle.
As the public meeting of caretaker chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao got underway, Reddy was freed. Chief electoral officer Rajat Sharma instructed the state DGP to release him. Political analysts feel this was a costly mistake for KCR and his party. Because of the police action, the limelight is firmly on the Congress leader. Even within the party, Reddy has consolidated his position, all thanks to the early morning drama. It is almost assured now that if Congress and its allies come to power in Telangana, Reddy will be the person to watch out for. In less than ten years, Reddy went from an MLC to MLA, Congress working president, to one of the main contenders of the chief minister’s post.
