Who will become the Chief Minister of Telangana? Three leaders from the Congress party are the frontrunners.

Telangana, India’s youngest state, has been under the control of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (formerly the Telangana Rashtra Samiti) since its inception in 2014. However, this is about to change as the Congress party emerged victorious in the recently declared assembly poll results, securing 65 seats out of the 119-member Telangana assembly, while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi managed only 39 seats.

Although the party has not yet announced its candidate for Chief Minister, it is anticipated that the Congress high command will make an announcement soon. Three Congress leaders are currently vying for the top position in Telangana:

1. Revanth Reddy: Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Congress chief, faced internal criticism within the party, but the 54-year-old effectively led the party to victory against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi in the state. He contested against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in the elections, highlighting his growing influence within the state. Since his appointment as Telangana Congress chief in July 2021, Reddy has been actively involved in ground-level activities, leading street protests against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi government.
2. Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu: Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, played a significant role in the party’s campaign to remove KCR from power. Before the polls, the 62-year-old conducted a 1,400 km padyatra (foot march) across the state, aiming not only to garner votes but also to engage with voters and understand their concerns. His ‘People’s March’ was instrumental in the Congress’ resurgence in the state.
3. Uttam Kumar Reddy: Uttam Kumar Reddy served as the head of the Congress’ Telangana unit until July 2021, when he was replaced by Revanth Reddy. Despite the change in leadership, Reddy remains popular among party workers in the state and is considered a potential candidate for the Chief Minister’s post. Upon realizing the party’s victory in the southern state, Reddy expressed his willingness to accept any decision made by the party’s high command.