Telangana: Revanth Reddy takes oath, Cong appoints first Dalit deputy CM

Congress leader Revanth Reddy took oath as the first Congress chief minister of Telangana — created after its separation from undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2014 — on Thursday.

In the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Rahul Gandhi, governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also administered the oath to 11 other ministers on Thursday afternoon at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in the state capital Hyderabad.

In a historic move, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka was sworn in as the state's first Dalit deputy chief minister.

The Revantha Redddy cabinet includes prominent leaders such as Vikramarka, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Venkat Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, D Sridhar Babu, and Damodar Raja Narasimha, addressing concerns raised by senior leaders.

The Cabinet also reflects regional diversity, with adequate representation for the erstwhile undivided Khammam district, a stronghold won by Congress in the recent assembly elections.

Key communities are represented, including three Reddys, OBC faces Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha, Dalit representatives Dansari Anasuya and Damodar Raja Narasimha, and Brahmin representative Sridhar Babu. Nageshwara Rao represents the Kamma community, and Krishna Rao hails from the Velama community.

The Nalgonda region, another Congress stronghold, is well represented in the cabinet by leaders like Uttam Kumar Reddy and Venkat Reddy. The diverse composition aims to foster inclusivity and ensure regional balance in the newly formed Congress government.

A brief introduction of the prominent leaders who were administered oath:

Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka

Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka, representing the Madhira (SC) assembly segment in Khammam district, secured his fourth consecutive victory. As CLP leader in the outgoing assembly, he played a pivotal role in the Congress resurgence through a 1,400 km padayatra (walkathon) across 36 constituencies.

N Uttam Kumar Reddy

N Uttam Kumar Reddy, a former Indian Air Force pilot, emerged as a six-time MLA from Kodad (1999-2009) and Huzurnagar. Serving as the housing minister during N Kiran Kumar Reddy's chief ministership in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Reddy later led the Telangana state Congress for six years.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, a five-time MLA from Nalgonda and MP from Bhuvanagiri Lok Sabha constituency, previously held the position of IT minister in Dr YS Rajashekara Reddy’s cabinet in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Ponnam Prabhakar

Ponnam Prabhakar, the working president of TPCC, won from Husnabad. Dansari Anasuya, also known as Seethakka, secured victory from Mulugu, demonstrating her political journey from the Janashakti Naxal group to the Congress.

C Damodar Raja Narasimha

C Damodar Raja Narasimha, a three-time MLA from Andhole, previously served as the deputy chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. D Sridhar Babu, a five-time MLA from Manthani, held various portfolios in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government.

Thummala Nageshwara Rao

Thummala Nageshwara Rao, initially a Telugu Desam Party leader, won elections with three chief ministers — NT Rama Rao, N Chandrababu Naidu, and KCR. He joined the Congress and triumphed over BRS minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar in Khammam.

Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy

Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, formerly with YSRCP and BRS, joined the Congress and won from Palair in Khammam. Konda Surekha, a four-time MLA and YS Rajashekar Reddy loyalist won from Warangal East after joining the Congress.

Jupally Krishna Rao

Jupally Krishna Rao, a six-time MLA from Kollapur, returned to Congress ahead of the 2023 elections, marking a significant shift in his political allegiance.