Revanth Says Triumph is Vote for Congress Plans

Hyderabad:Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday said the Congress’ resounding victory in the Jubilee Hills byelection, where party candidate Naveen Yadav won by about 24,700 votes, was a clear endorsement of the government’s ideas and initiatives for the development of Hyderabad, including Metro Rail expansion, Musi river rejuvenation, Bharat Future City, Regional Ring Road, HYDRAA, and the EAGLE Task Force.

The victory had had further reinforced the government’s responsibility to accelerate Hyderabad’s development, Revanth Reddy said at a press conference at his camp office. The bypoll outcome, he said, reflected people’s approval of the state government’s direction and its commitment to strengthening urban infrastructure and administrative efficiency.

Revanth Reddy urged BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao to shed his arrogance, BRS leader T Harish Rao to let go of jealousy, and BJP leader and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy to abandon his non-cooperative stance towards Telangana government. He appealed to all three leaders to respect the people’s mandate and join hands with the state government for the development of Hyderabad and Telangana.

Revanth Reddy said he would not comment on BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao as he was not in active politics now due to health issues. The Chief Minister said the city required political consensus to sustain long-term growth, and asked the opposition to play a constructive role instead of creating hurdles.

Congratulating Congress cadres for securing what he termed a decisive mandate, Revanth Reddy said the party’s extraordinary performance in Jubilee Hills reflected public approval of the government’s two-year rule. The Congress secured 51 per cent of the vote, while the BRS managed 38 per cent and the BJP forfeited its deposit at 8 per cent, he noted. Voters, he said, had closely examined the government’s track record before delivering their judgment. The victory, he added, places greater responsibility on the ruling Congress party to maintain momentum in governance and development.

Asserting that Hyderabad would be developed as a global city, the Chief Minister invited Union minister Kishan Reddy to the Secretariat for discussions on pending projects and Central funds. He said the state government had prepared detailed plans for Metro Rail expansion, elevated corridors, solutions to traffic congestion, the Musi rejuvenation project, and lifting Godavari water to Hyderabad.

He accused the BRS of obstructing development by circulating misinformation on social media regarding the Musi project and HYDRAA operations.

Revanth Reddy questioned Kishan Reddy’s reluctance to cooperate with the state government in securing central funds. He instructed Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to conduct a review of pending projects and financial allocations and submit a detailed report to MPs ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament so that they can raise these issues in both Houses. The Chief Minister said the Centre must respond positively when the needs of Telangana were presented in a unified manner.

Commenting on the BJP’s performance in the bypoll, the Chief Minister said Kishan Reddy had taken personal responsibility for the byelection campaign but the party had secured barely 17,000 votes against the 60,000 votes he (Kishan Reddy) had secured in the Jubilee Hills segment in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Revanth Reddy said the Union minister should treat the result as an 'earthquake warning' and adopt a more cooperative tone, adding that continued political hostility would only damage the BJP’s position. He urged Kishan Reddy to analyse the bypoll outcome and support Telangana’s development instead of engaging in confrontation.

Revanth Reddy also advised Rama Rao and Harish Rao to “mend their ways”, stating that public disapproval of their political conduct was evident. Power, he said, was not permanent to anyone, and leaders must remain grounded.

He pointed out that Congress had earned a clear mandate in both the 2023 Assembly and 2024 parliamentary elections and had again outperformed its rivals by securing 51 per cent of the vote in Jubilee Hills — more than the combined tally of the BRS and BJP. The Chief Minister said voters were closely observing the conduct of opposition leaders and were no longer willing to accept abrasive or negative politics.

He said the Assembly elections were still three years away and urged the opposition to contribute positively to the state’s development agenda. “I will do politics only during the elections. The Opposition is free to raise issues and hold protests, but they should not obstruct development programmes,” he said.

Revanth Reddy accused BRS leaders of misusing social media to spread falsehoods against the government and criticised few TV channels for broadcasting inaccurate projections even during the counting process.

The Chief Minister also appealed to media organisations to uphold credibility, stating that while their managements could differ with Congress, misinformation should not be passed off as news. He said Congress’ vote share had shown consistent growth — from 39.5 per cent in the 2023 polls to 41 per cent in the 2024 parliamentary elections, and 51 per cent in Jubilee Hills now. With a united leadership and cadre, Revanth Reddy asserted, no political force would be able to halt the Congress’ rise in Telangana.