Telangana poll results: Meet Revanth Reddy, a politician on 'merit quota'

If politics could be considered a university, Telangana Congress President Anumula Revanth Reddy, in his own words, secured his admission on a ‘merit quota’. As a firebrand leader and mastermind behind the historic victory of the Congress in Telangana, Reddy is known for his comebacks.

The ‘quota’ riposte was one such jab at Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao’s (KCR’s) son Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KTR).

“I am on merit quota. He is on the management quota/non-resident Indian quota. Everyone knows KTR as KCR’s son. We have nothing to do with KTR. Our political fight is with KCR,” Reddy told the media days before the elections.

If things go as per popular demand, this 54-year-old politician on merit quota is poised to become the first Congress chief minister of India’s youngest state. In what may be seen as fighting the opponent in his stronghold, Reddy contested elections against KCR at Kamareddy and was even leading at one point before slipping to the third spot. On the other hand, Reddy won Kodangal by over 32,500 votes.

As a student, Reddy was part of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and later became Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the Telugu Desam Party. He joined the Congress in 2017 and represents Malkajgiri in the Lok Sabha. He was appointed state Congress chief in July 2021. According to experts, he will have the support of the majority of MLAs too.