The journey of A. Revanth Reddy, the current Chief Minister of Telangana, has been nothing short of a political spectacle. From his early days in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to his current position as the state’s Congress leader, his trajectory reveals a man determined to ascend the political ladder, even at the cost of public trust. His rise is marked by a series of promises, many of which are now under scrutiny for their hollow nature.
Take, for instance, the grand announcement made during his tenure as Telangana’s Congress President, where he brought in Congress heavyweights Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to declare a financial assistance scheme for women. Promising a monthly sum of ₹2,000 to every woman in the state, this initiative was touted as a major step toward women’s empowerment. Yet, months into his reign, this promise remains unfulfilled, leaving the women of Telangana waiting. Social media platforms are now flooded with videos mocking Congress’s inability to deliver, raising questions about the credibility of its leadership.
This isn’t the first time Congress has faltered on its lofty promises. A similar incident occurred in Karnataka, where Congress had pledged financial assistance to Muslim women during their campaign. Post-elections, the party faced backlash as beneficiaries lined up outside party offices, hoping for the aid they were promised. The embarrassment the party faced then seems to be repeating itself in Telangana, with Revanth Reddy at the center of the storm.
Revanth Reddy’s political career has been riddled with controversies. Once a staunch critic of Congress and its allegedly false promises, he crossed over from the Telugu Desam Party to Congress and somehow found his way to the helm of the state party unit. His ascent was marred by allegations of corruption, including a pending case involving his bribery of an independent MLC during an election. One could argue that his entry into Congress seemed almost predestined, a perfect fit for a party increasingly criticized for making grand promises and delivering little.
What makes Revanth’s position even more disheartening is his candid admission of the disingenuous nature of political promises. In a conversation with journalists, Reddy admitted that politicians make false promises because the electorate, in its gullibility, continues to believe them. His shifting of the blame onto voters was as shocking as it was unsettling. It was an open confession of how politics in the state functions—a cycle of empty promises and electoral manipulation. This video, now viral, showcased his brazenness even before he took the Chief Minister’s seat.
Telangana’s financial situation has only worsened under Revanth Reddy’s leadership, exacerbated by the mismanagement of his predecessor, K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The state’s debt, hovering around a staggering ₹7 lakh crore, is a direct consequence of BRS’s short-sighted policies. Yet, instead of addressing this financial quagmire, Revanth Reddy’s Congress has introduced more populist schemes, including free electricity and cash transfers. These moves threaten to push the state deeper into economic despair while offering no tangible benefits to the very people it seeks to placate.
Among the unfulfilled promises is the much-publicized ₹2,000 financial assistance for women. Despite being in power for over five months, the Congress government has failed to deliver, leading to growing discontent among its female supporters. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The neglect of the Brahmin community, particularly through the Vivekananda Overseas Study Scheme, further exposes the government’s lack of follow-through on its commitments. This initiative, launched by the previous BRS government, aimed to support economically weaker Brahmin families in pursuing higher studies abroad. Approximately 300 students had been selected under this scheme, and they had already paid their initial fees for postgraduate courses abroad, expecting the government’s reimbursement to cover their remaining costs.
However, with Revanth Reddy’s Congress in power, the scheme has been left in limbo. The Brahmin Welfare Corporation, once a beacon of support for this minority community, has become dysfunctional. Despite repeated appeals from its former Chairman, Dr. Ramana Chari, to ministers like IT Minister Dr. Sridhar Babu and BC Welfare Minister Konda Surekha, the government has shown little interest in resolving the issue. The students, many of whom belong to families that can barely afford such expenses, are now facing significant hardships as they struggle to pay tuition fees and living expenses abroad.
It’s worth noting that the previous BRS government, despite being heavily criticized for favoring minorities, never neglected other communities. The Brahmin Welfare Corporation was one of many initiatives aimed at uplifting the marginalized Brahmin community, which constitutes only about 1-2% of Telangana’s population. However, the Congress government’s indifference has only fueled perceptions that the party is indifferent to Hindu interests, a narrative that has gained traction due to controversial statements made by its leadership in recent times.
As the Congress government stalls on clearing funds for these 300 Brahmin students, they find themselves trapped in a precarious situation. Their academic futures hang in the balance, not due to their own shortcomings, but because of the government’s refusal to act on promises made by its predecessor.
If Revanth Reddy truly has the people’s interests at heart, he must prioritize the release of these funds. This is no longer just about politics; it’s about the futures of young students who trusted in the government’s word.
Without sugarcoating, Revanth Reddy’s leadership so far has been marked by grandiose promises and even grander failures. From his hollow assurances of financial assistance to women to the neglect of the Brahmin community’s education schemes, his administration seems more focused on political optics than on delivering real change.
To add fuel to the fire, a viral video on social media suggests further trouble for Revanth Reddy’s government. The newly formed HYDRA has unleashed a reign of terror by demolishing structures built on lake beds. Affected residents, particularly women, have publicly cursed and condemned the Chief Minister, asking how his government could dare demolish homes that have been standing for decades, all while the residents have dutifully paid taxes — for electricity, water, and property. In the videos, women can be seen screaming in anger: “Is this the reward for electing a Congress government in the state?” Their outrage is unfiltered and filled with unprintable language.
If the Congress wishes to salvage its credibility in Telangana, it must move beyond empty promises and start delivering on its commitments. Otherwise, Revanth Reddy’s tenure risks being remembered as just another chapter in the long, disappointing saga of unfulfilled political promises.
