The Congress government in Telangana, led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy will complete two years in office on Sunday, amidst fiscal constraints, policy experimentation and political resilience.
When Revanth Reddy took over as the chief minister on December 7, 2023, dislodging the nine-and-a-half-year rule of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), there were not many hopes on him.
The Congress secured 64 seats in a 119-member state assembly —only four above the majority mark—raising doubts about the durability of the new regime.
He was to handle political heavy weights within the party and his lack of earlier ministerial experience compounded the perception of fragility.
Despite early scepticism, Revanth Reddy managed to stabilise his government within months. With firm backing from the Congress high command, he consolidated internal support.
The strategic induction of 10 BRS MLAs and continued legislative support from AIMIM ensured numerical comfort and projected political steadiness.
However, these defections have now become a liability. The Supreme Court’s four-week deadline to adjudicate disqualification petitions may force at least two defecting MLAs to vacate their seats, triggering by-elections and reviving political uncertainty.
The administration’s early years were constrained by what the government described as a severe financial legacy.
A white paper placed state debt at Rs 7 lakh crore, with Rs 6,500 crore required monthly toward interest payments.
Against this backdrop, the government pursued phased implementation of its six election guarantees.
Yet, Revanth Reddy managed to implement some of the populist schemes like free travel for women in RTC buses, LPG cylinders at Rs 500 for eligible households and free electricity up to 200 units for domestic consumers and most importantly, the crop loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh, covering 2.5 million farmers at a one-time cost exceeding Rs 21,000 crore.
Despite criticism from the BRS that the scheme excluded some indebted farmers, the waiver has been widely acknowledged as a significant accomplishment amid dire fiscal constraints.
In recruitment, the government filled 55,143 vacancies across departments. Though the process originated under the previous administration, the successful completion is counted among the government’s achievements.
Several key administrative decisions have exposed the government to criticism.
The establishment of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Authority (HYDRAA) to remove illegal structures on lake beds drew public anger and forced political repositioning.
Similarly, the Musi River Rejuvenation Project, accompanied by the demolition of houses along the riverbank, sparked protests and provided fresh ammunition to the BRS and BJP.
A controversial land acquisition attempt at Lagacharla in Vikarabad for a pharma cluster also led the government to retreat, reinforcing perceptions of policy missteps.
Yet, in the second year, Revanth was able to overcome these hurdles, as HYDRAA won the appreciation of the people during the floods.
On the political front, however, Revanth Reddy managed to push the opposition parties on the defensive.
The BRS has struggled to contain its political decline. Allegations surrounding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, power purchases, and the Delhi liquor scam—implicating K. Kavitha—have eroded the party’s organisational footing.
A demoralising Lok Sabha performance deepened the crisis, pushing KCR into relative political silence.
In the last one year, the image of the BRS continued to witness the downfall, following the suspension of Kavitha from the BRS and her open revolt against the party and a high-profile defeat in the Jubilee Hills by-election, where the Congress secured a 25,000-vote margin.
The Justice P C Ghose Commission’s report pinpointing irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project and holding KCR, former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, and senior officials responsible provided a major boost to the Congress.
The chief minister subsequently demanded a CBI probe, bringing the BJP into the frame.
The governor’s approval for the prosecution of KTR in the Formula-E race scam—pertaining to unauthorised payment of Rs 55 crore—further weakened the BRS.
The BJP, buoyed by national and state-level gains—including eight Lok Sabha seats in Telangana— has also failed to emerge as a potential alternative, due to internal differences and suspension of Ghoshamahal MLA T Raja Singh from the party and the appointment of a weak leader like N Ramachander Rao as the state BJP president.
Several major policy and political events defined the government’s second year:
1. BC Reservations Initiative Falters
The government’s attempt to implement 42% reservations for backward classes—supported by a SEEEPC survey, legislation, an ordinance, and a GO—failed to survive legal and constitutional scrutiny.
The administration was ultimately compelled to conduct the December 2025 gram panchayat elections with only 22% reservation for BCs.
2. Cabinet Expansion and Party Consolidation
Revanth expanded his cabinet twice, inducting Vakiti Srihari, G. Vivek, Adluri Laxman, and later Md. Azharuddin, consolidating political alliances and satisfying diverse caste and regional demands.
3. Brand Hyderabad Initiatives
Hosting the Miss World pageant and the Telangana Rising Global Summit signalled an effort to reposition Hyderabad as a global investment destination. The response from multinational investors has been encouraging.
4. Judicial Setback on University of Hyderabad Lands
The Supreme Court struck down the government’s attempts to commercially monetise forest lands within the University of Hyderabad, ordering restoration—a significant embarrassment for an administration seeking innovative financing avenues.
5. Revenue Mobilisation through Land Auctions
The government secured substantial revenue through auctions in Kokapet, providing temporary fiscal relief.
6. Welfare Push with Fine Rice Scheme
The introduction of fine rice in the Public Distribution System earned positive public feedback, although many election-time assurances remain pending.
Internal party dissent—periodically surfacing through leaders such as Teenmaar Mallanna and Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy—remains a factor, though thus far contained.
Whether the government can translate ambitious visions into scalable, publicly acceptable governance models will determine its political durability.
The next year may well be the defining phase for Revanth Reddy’s leadership and the Congress’s long-term prospects in Telangana.