Revanth Reddy claims he convinced Rahul Gandhi to be Prime Ministerial candidate

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy claimed he had persuaded Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to consider becoming the party’s prime ministerial candidate. The appeal, made at a party programme in Vikarabad, surprised many due to the absence of imminent elections

Hyderabad: In an unusual claim, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday said he had convinced Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to be the party’s prime ministerial candidate, with Gandhi responding positively.

Though it was unclear why the move was initiated now, with no Lok Sabha elections due soon, the Telangana unit of the Indian National Congress issued a statement claiming that Revanth Reddy had succeeded in persuading Rahul Gandhi. It said this was the first time Gandhi had acknowledged such an appeal by party leaders.

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The appeal was made during the valedictory ceremony of the District Congress Committee presidents’ training programme in Vikarabad on Monday. Revanth Reddy said that, in the interest of the nation and to protect constitutional and democratic values, Rahul Gandhi should become the Prime Minister.

“I am not making this appeal as Chief Minister, but as a Congress worker. To ensure Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister, we have to work hard,” Revanth Reddy told DCC presidents from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He added that the post was an opportunity for public service, not merely an achievement.

According to the statement, Rahul Gandhi, who was present at the programme, nodded in agreement and indicated his readiness with a smile.

The timing of the appeal surprised many, as there are no immediate parliamentary elections, except upcoming Assembly polls in a few states. Revanth Reddy had earlier said that the ‘One Nation One Election’ system could lead to simultaneous polls in 2029.

Senior leaders, including K C Venugopal and Meenakshi Natarajan, attended the meeting. Rahul Gandhi later left for New Delhi in the evening.