Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy returned from a high-stakes day-long visit to New Delhi with a clear victory for his preferred choice, as the Congress high command formally announced senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and the Chief Minister’s close advisor Vem Narender Reddy as the party’s candidates for the two Rajya Sabha seats from the state.
The announcement late on Wednesday night followed intense closed-door meetings Revanth Reddy held with All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader KC Venugopal at the AICC headquarters.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud accompanied the Chief Minister for the crucial deliberations. The Congress high command had specifically summoned the duo to finalise the names ahead of today’s nomination deadline. With the terms of sitting members Abhishek Manu Singhvi (Congress) and KR Suresh Reddy (BRS) ending in April, the biennial Rajya Sabha elections are slated for March 16.
A total of 16 aspirants from diverse communities had thrown their hats into the ring, sparking weeks of aggressive lobbying. While Mr. Singhvi’s renomination was considered a near-certainty given his national profile, the second ticket saw stiff competition among several leaders and senior party functionaries.
Vem Narender Reddy, currently serving as Advisor to the Government, ultimately prevailed after CM Revanth Reddy threw his full weight behind his long-time confidant. Party sources indicated that the high command weighed options carefully, balancing the need for continuity in one seat with fresh representation from Telangana in the other.
Nominations for both candidates are expected to be filed in Hyderabad today, well before the 5 pm cutoff. The development comes at a time when the Congress is looking to consolidate its position in the state legislature, where it holds a comfortable majority.
CM Revanth Reddy’s successful pitch is being viewed within party circles as a strong assertion of his organisational control and ability to influence key decisions at the national level. The Chief Minister, who flew back to Hyderabad late Wednesday, described the outcome as a ‘united and forward-looking choice’ in brief remarks to waiting reporters. He declined to elaborate further on internal discussions but emphasised that the selected candidates would strengthen Telangana’s voice in Parliament.
Opposition parties, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, are yet to announce their nominees, though indications suggest they may field a mix of experienced and new faces. The Election Commission has already notified the schedule, setting the stage for what is expected to be a smooth contest given the Congress’s numerical strength in the Telangana Legislative Assembly.
Political observers noted that Revanth Reddy’s Delhi visit, though brief, has not only resolved the immediate ticket crisis but also reinforced coordination between the state unit and the central leadership ahead of larger national political battles.