Is Revanth Reddy Walking In His Guru’s Footsteps?

By Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

Revanth Reddy, it appears, is turning out to be following in the footsteps of his guru. The Kodangal MLA, who resigned from the presidentship of the Telugu Desam Working Committee, was applauded for quitting the assembly as well. But it now appears that one has to save one's praise and appreciation of his actions for another day, because Revanth Reddy has not submitted his resignation officially vacating his Kodangal seat, as yet.

This is improper, to say the least. It is learnt that Revanth Reddy who was crying hoarse about declining values in politics and public life, and had publicized his resignation extensively, is now talking of drawing up strategies. After walking out on Chandrababu Naidu and from his fold, it was expected that he would meet the speaker of the Telangana state legislative assembly, Madhusudhana Chary and submit his resignation formally. However, he did nothing of the sort. He did not attend the assembly. Nor has he stepped into Gandhi Bhavan.

After having joined the congress party with a lot of fanfare in the national capital, Revanth Reddy, it is learnt, wanted to announce his entry into the party accompanied by a number of his followers. Rahul Gandhi's tour and public rally got postponed, and resultantly, there's some confusion on the Revanth Reddy issue.

Revanth is busy going around and meeting local congress leaders and trying to remain in their good books. No problem with any of that. However, he had earlier criticized defections vehemently and was restrained from going to the Supreme Court on this issue. And now, when it was expected of him to quit the assembly formally by submitting his resignation to the speaker, unlike the others, he has not done so yet. Many reasons are being attributed to his non-submission of his resignation letter to the speaker. Some sources say that the speaker is ready to accept his resignation and a bye-election would become inevitable if Revanth Reddy were to vacate his seat formally. He would then have to face an election and after having seen the Nandyal bye-election as a member of the ruling party, is he having second thoughts about his resignation from the assembly?

It is believed that Revanth Reddy will be circumspect with the timing of his resignation and might resign formally at an opportune time when it would be possible to prevent a bye-election from being held. This could happen if there's only one year to go before the cessation of a member's term in the assembly. The Election Commission could then take a call on the need for holding a bye-poll. However, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, a minister in KCR's cabinet and Narayanapet MLA, Rajender Reddy have started questioning Revanth. They ask--whatever happened to projections of Revanth Reddy as Bahubali and as a super hero? Where is his resignation? Their question is in a way apt because it now appears that Revanth is treading the same path that they did. This is immoral to say the least.

Another version doing the rounds is that while Revanth is ready to give up his seat, the AICC leadership is holding him back. This again leads us to believe that the Congress is also going against the principles of morality in public life. Congress leaders often criticise both KCR and Chandrababu Naidu on this count saying that they have encouraged horse-trading. Now it seem as if the Congress is also a party which supports such wretched, defection-ridden politics.

Interestingly, a few days ago, Telangana TDP leaders found fault with the TRS for admitting their politicos and suggested that the portfolio of defections be given to KTR. However, they have no defence or explanation to Chandrababu Naidu resorting to the same tactics in AP. This itself holds a mirror to TDP's duplicity on this issue. The ties between Chandrababu Naidu and Revanth Reddy are all too well-known and the former's role in the note-for-vote case hardly needs to be repeated. Several sources attribute Revanth Reddy's admission into the congress as an act carried out on the advice of Chandrababu Naidu.

The AP CM is silent on not forwarding Revanth's letter of resignation to the speaker and Revanth is also mum on this. The manner in which he resigned is quite typical of Chandrababu Naidu's brand of politics--everybody should think that he has resigned, while it is not acted upon.

In the final analysis, Chandrababu Naidu, say critics, is one leader who is completely morally bankrupt. Is Revanth Reddy walking in his footsteps?