Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is currently at the receiving end of some intense social media trolling—and this time, it’s not just political mudslinging. It’s history coming full circle.
An old video of Revanth, from his days as an aggressive Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA, has resurfaced and is going viral. In it, he tears into the Congress party’s legacy, especially targeting Jawaharlal Nehru’s handling of the Hyderabad accession and the Jammu & Kashmir issue. With great conviction, Revanth criticizes Nehru for signing a Standstill Agreement with the Nizam of Hyderabad, allowing him to continue ruling even after Indian independence, much like what Nehru did with Sheikh Abdullah in Jammu & Kashmir.
Although he didn’t say it explicitly in the short video, Revanth, in effect, complimented Sardar Patel for overriding Nehru’s caution and carrying out the bold “Police Action” that forced the Nizam to accede to the Indian Union. In doing so, he echoed a historical critique: that Nehru’s insertion of Article 370 and 35A—opposed even by B.R. Ambedkar—granted Kashmir a dangerous degree of autonomy that eventually proved disastrous. The underlying implication of Revanth’s statement is stark—had Patel not acted decisively, Telangana might well have become another Kashmir.
And yet, here he is today—not just a Congress member, but its state’s face, Chief Minister of Telangana. What explains this transformation?
From BJYM to TDP to Congress
Revanth Reddy’s political journey has never been short of drama. A product of student politics, he is said to have dabbled with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) during his college days. But his first real break came with the TDP—an outfit born out of an anti-Congress movement under N.T. Rama Rao.
From the beginning, Revanth positioned himself as a fiery, street-smart politician with a sharp tongue and an eye for opportunity. He rose quickly through the ranks, becoming one of TDP’s most visible young leaders in Telangana. His attack-dog style earned him attention in the assembly and the media alike.
But his career took a serious hit in 2015 when he was caught red-handed in the infamous ‘cash-for-vote’ scandal during MLC elections—allegedly trying to bribe a nominated MLA. The case put a massive question mark over his future.
Yet, Revanth not only survived—it turned out to be a launchpad for a stunning reinvention. In 2017, to everyone’s shock, he joined the Congress—an ideological volte-face, considering his years of anti-Congress rhetoric.
Opportunism or Pragmatism?
For critics, Revanth’s leap to the Congress wasn’t just a party switch—it was a betrayal of principles. But politics often rewards ambition and adaptability over consistency. Within just a few years of joining, Revanth bulldozed his way to the top. He outmaneuvered several senior Congress loyalists to become TPCC president, and eventually, in 2023, led the Congress to a surprise victory in the Telangana assembly elections.
Measured by political acumen, it’s a remarkable rise. Measured by ideological integrity? That’s another matter.
The latest video surfacing is not the only one showing Revanth’s chameleon-like shift. There are several clips where he not only attacks Congress leaders but also questions the very foundations of its political philosophy. That this same man now praises the legacy of Indira Gandhi and positions himself as the inheritor of Nehruvian governance borders on absurdity.
Revanth’s hometown, Mahabubnagar, has produced leaders of stature—Jaipal Reddy, Mallikarjun, and Samarasimha Reddy. But Revanth is cut from a different cloth: less ideologue, more survivor. His tactical mind and aggressive style have helped him win elections and hearts in Telangana, but his credibility is now frequently under siege.
Social media, that great digital archive of the past, ensures that no speech or slogan truly disappears. In an era where hypocrisy is just a scroll away, politicians like Revanth face an unavoidable reckoning.
You can rewrite your political future. But in today’s world, your past will still tweet.
