Why Did Chandrababu Naidu Skip Revanth’s Swearing-in Ceremony?

Hyderabad: Telangana CM (CM-designate back then) Anumula Revanth Reddy had invited several prominent political leaders including the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to his oath-taking ceremony which was held at LB stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday. Naidu was conspicuous by his absence as the opposition leader skipped the swearing-in ceremony.

Revanth Reddy is known for not hiding his association with the TDP leader Naidu even after taking over the reins of Telangana Congress. It is said Reddy’s proximity to the TDP chief helped him win the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket in the 2019 general elections. 

The TDP stayed away from contesting the Telangana assembly elections virtually leaving the electoral ground for the Congress to gain from it. This is the first time since 1985, the Telugu Desam party has given up on fighting the elections. Consequently, the Congress emerged in Telangana by toppling the 10-year-old BRS government in the assembly elections. The TDP flags alongside Congress flags were seen in the victory celebrations of Congress in Hyderabad. 

Despite the reported support to Congress chief Revanth Reddy, the TDP leader Naidu skipped his swearing-in ceremony. The absence of Naidu in the ceremony makes one wonder  if Naidu wanted to avoid sharing the dais with the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chief Sonia Gandhi, former and Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the ceremony. Or is he trying to patch up with the BJP and get into the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Did he consciously skip the event keeping in mind its impact on his party’s prospects in the upcoming assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh next year?

Shri @revanth_anumula takes oath as Telangana's Chief Minister.

The Congress government will work for every section of society!

📍 Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/tEvBIGBFs6

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 7, 2023

The Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy had invited his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) who did not turn up for obvious reasons. The invitation to the swearing-in ceremony was also extended to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who could not make it to the event as he’s busy overseeing the relief operations after cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc in coastal districts. 

Also Read: New Speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly: Gaddam Prasad Kumar