Hyderabad: On Thursday, the final day for submitting nominations, Congress nominated senior chief Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Vem Narender Reddy, adviser to Revanth Reddy’s authorities, to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana.

The Election Fee of India has notified that elections for the 2 Rajya Sabha seats, vacated after Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ok.R. Suresh Reddy ended their time period on 9 April, might be held in Telangana on 16 March.

Singhvi’s renomination from Telangana would result in the chief’s fifth time period as a parliamentarian within the Higher Home. Then again, it will be the primary RS time period for Vem Narender Reddy, Revanth Reddy’s long-time buddy and political affiliate, from his days within the Telugu Desam Celebration (TDP). Whereas Singhvi’s declare to the submit was a matter in fact, almost 15 leaders from the get together had evinced an curiosity within the different seat, based on sources within the Congress.

Vem Narender Reddy has trumped even Telangana All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and emerged because the Rajya Sabha nominee, they mentioned. “Revanth Reddy satisfied the Gandhis and the Congress high brass that of the 2 seats, one could be crammed by a candidate of his alternative,” a former MLA and senior get together functionary instructed The Print on the situation of anonymity.

The 2 Reddys

The affiliation of the CM and his present adviser goes again greater than 30 years, to when the 2 had been political apprentices beneath TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Revanth Reddy represented the Kodangal seat for the primary time as an MLA in 2009. Narender Reddy had been elected from the Mahbubabad seat earlier in 2004.

Over time, the 2 tutored one another on the methods of energy, and Revanth Reddy rose to grow to be a TDP working president in Telangana in 2014, after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Each remained within the TDP till a political storm knocked them over in 2015.

Within the 2015 Telangana “cash-for-vote” case, the state Anti-Corruption Bureau carried out a sting operation and caught Revanth Reddy, then a TDP MLA, allegedly handing over Rs 50 lakh to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson. The company mentioned the fee was half of a bigger Rs five-crore deal to safe Stephenson’s vote within the Telangana legislative council polls in favour of then TDP-BJP candidate Vem Narender Reddy.

Revanth Reddy was arrested in the course of the operation and spent a number of weeks in judicial custody earlier than being granted bail. Investigators additionally began probing Vem Narender Reddy’s alleged function within the bribery operation.

The case escalated politically after TV channels aired an audio recording of an alleged telephone dialog during which Andhra CM Naidu purportedly instructed Stephenson that “all guarantees could be honoured”. The recording triggered allegations from KCR’s Telangana authorities on the time that Naidu was concerned, a declare he denied whereas questioning the audio’s authenticity. In the meantime, the 2 Reddys had been expelled from the TDP, because the get together tried to distance itself from the case.

The case stays beneath litigation. Prices towards one of many accused had been later quashed by the Supreme Court docket for lack of proof, whereas Revanth Reddy has challenged the FIR. His authorized group has argued that the ACB’s entice was unlawful and that the corruption legislation in drive on the time didn’t apply to alleged bribe givers.

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Congress stint

Two years later, in 2017, when Revanth Reddy joined the Congress, his aide Narender Reddy adopted. Over time, their rising affect over the get together turned seen to all. When Revanth Reddy turned the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee and steered the get together into the 2023 meeting elections, Vem Narender Reddy, a planning committee member, was made the vice-president, placing him accountable for the get together’s political affairs and propaganda.

Nevertheless, their proximity and affect throughout a number of appointments to key positions reportedly threatened many old-time Congress leaders, and Vem Narender Reddy’s bid for an MLA ticket was thwarted, senior Congress leaders instructed ThePrint. Regardless of that, Narender Reddy labored behind the scenes, elevating cash for the get together, brokering peace amongst totally different caste factions inside the Congress and performing as Revanth Reddy’s level particular person for Congress leaders from different states discussing get together issues.

“Revanth Reddy’s rise because the Chief Minister has solely introduced them nearer. They’re like Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and his lieutenant Ok.V.P. Ramachandra Rao. Regardless of all the interior objections, Revanth knew he may create a good area for Narender Reddy when he turned the CM,” the Congress working president, who has labored in get together positions beneath three former Congress CMs, instructed ThePrint.

Completely different personalities

Inside a month of taking cost as Telangana’s CM in December 2023, Narender Reddy was inducted as one of many three advisers to the CM and given a cupboard rank. He was seen sitting to the CM’s speedy proper in each cupboard assembly, with the chief secretary relegated to the seat subsequent to his.

“He’s the unseen CM. Folks from each stroll of life queue up exterior his home from 7.30 am in search of his intervention,” a former Congress MLA shared. With Revanth Reddy closely counting on his opinion, many get together employees argue that Narender Reddy has the ultimate phrase.

However those that know Vem Narender Reddy communicate of how totally different the 2 mates are of their personalities.

Revanth Reddy’s high-decibel speeches and aggression stand in stark distinction to Narender Reddy’s nearly Zen-like composure. With no allegations of non-public corruption and by no means desirous to outsize his buddy, his nomination as a Rajya Sabha member is extensively reckoned to be the CM’s present of power in his get together, each in Telangana and Delhi.

After his Rajya Sabha nomination, Vem Narender Reddy spoke on the Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad. Thanking previous Congress presidents, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress’s senior leaders, he mentioned, “I’m grateful to the chief minister for nominating me. I’ll elevate essential points pertaining to Telangana and actively work to safe the mandatory funds for varied improvement initiatives.”

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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