by 
Revanth Reddy: A Political Heir to Naidu's Legacy in Telangana
On the outskirts of Hyderabad, the ambitious Future City project is taking shape, poised to become a sprawling 30,000-acre smart city. Modeled after Amaravati, this initiative aims to alleviate congestion in Hyderabad while establishing a net-zero, self-sustaining urban environment. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has enlisted high-profile consultants to guide substantial projects in sectors like life sciences and artificial intelligence, reflecting a governance style that echoes the playbook of his mentor, Chandrababu Naidu.
Kalyan Chandra, a political strategist familiar with southern Indian politics, suggests that Reddy's inexperience in administrative roles and his strained relationships with cabinet members compel him to depend on external expertise for policy development. “Revanth is neither a visionary like Naidu nor a voracious reader like former Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao. While he has adeptly positioned himself within Congress, he lacks the fiscal acumen and governance skills of Karnataka's CM Siddaramaiah,” Chandra explained. “Nonetheless, he is a politically astute figure, adept at navigating shifting political landscapes.”
Reddy's political journey began with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), where he emerged as a key strategist under Naidu's tutelage, favoring practicality over ideology. After joining Congress in 2017, he continued to apply lessons from Naidu's governance. Observers note that despite the two leaders operating with unilateral authority, their administrative strategies show striking similarities, especially as both states navigate funding tied to central government schemes.
Following Congress's return to power in December 2023—bolstered by six key promises—Reddy recognized the urgency for pragmatic governance in a landscape dotted with rival aspirants for the chief minister's position. As a result, he turned to established policies reminiscent of Naidu's initiatives. Shortly after forming his cabinet, Reddy abolished the controversial two-child policy, mirroring Andhra Pradesh's recent repeal.
In 2025, Reddy announced plans to adopt Andhra's land assignment model, which confers full property rights to impoverished families in Telangana. His administration has also embraced Andhra's midday meal scheme for junior college students and established 8,000 Mahila Bhavans to promote women's empowerment, closely paralleling Naidu's Mahila Pranganams initiated in 1999.
While many of these policies are expected to yield positive outcomes, critics question Reddy's originality. However, his recent completion of an executive program at the Harvard Kennedy School has garnered some respect. Raka Sudhakar, a seasoned journalist, noted, “Revanth openly acknowledges Naidu as his mentor. Naidu's successful model of employing consultants has set a standard that modern leaders are compelled to follow.”
Both KCR and Reddy find themselves implementing Naidu's strategies due to the expectations of multinational corporations and Andhra entrepreneurs who demand stability for their infrastructure investments. “Hyderabad has transcended its identity as merely Telangana’s capital; it has evolved into a software and financial hub,” Sudhakar remarked. “For Telangana, emulating Tamil Nadu’s growth in manufacturing and services is no longer optional.”
The ongoing presence of Andhra bureaucrats in Hyderabad highlights the intertwined fates of the two states, with IAS officers often collaborating across borders. Revanth's former TDP colleagues observe that his political orientations frequently align with Naidu's, though he maintains a careful distance from the Bharatiya Janata Party, adhering to Congress's directives. Cabinet members acknowledge that Reddy’s governance style more closely resembles Naidu's than that of Rahul Gandhi, but they adapt accordingly to protect the interests of Telangana and Karnataka, where Congress holds a decisive majority.
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