Revanth Reddy’s false claims stir debate as UDF faces pressure in Kerala

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has come under criticism for claiming implementation of six guarantees in Telangana, with political observers and opposition questioning the claims, while his recent remarks in Kerala and past statements have also triggered controversies.

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy continues to make false claims about the implementation of his party’s poll promises of six guarantees in Telangana.

Even while attracting severe criticism for not implementing the six guarantees in Telangana, Revanth Reddy was so brazen that he had even challenged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministers to visit Telangana to review their implementation.

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The much-publicised six guarantees in Telangana include Rs.2,500 monthly assistance for women, a pension increase to Rs.4,000, a Rs.5 lakh Vidya Bharosa card for students, Rs.15,000 annual support per acre for farmers and tenant farmers, and Rs.12,000 for agricultural labourers. But even after completion of two years of his term, these promises remain unimplemented in the State. Despite this, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy continued his claims while releasing the UDF manifesto in Kerala and stated that his government had implemented the six guarantees in Telangana.

Interestingly, the CPM, which was expected to respond sharply to his claims, confined itself to issuing press statements. For some unexplained reasons, it has so far failed to list out the unfulfilled electoral promises of the Congress either in Telangana or in Kerala to rebut his claims.

Political observers point out that it has now become a habit for Revanth Reddy to make claims which are far from the truth and also make controversial statements. During the current tour of Kerala, his statement against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, calling him Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brother, drew criticism. Observers recall that his earlier description of his relationship with the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “Bade Bhai – Chote Bhai” is not yet forgotten, but he has now accused Pinarayi Vijayan of being Modi’s brother.

It was during his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar in August 2025 that his comments on Bihari DNA triggered severe backlash. The reaction was so strong that Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor questioned his political standing and accused him of arrogance. Prashant Kishor had even said that he would defeat him in future elections in Telangana. Worried over the fallout his outbursts were causing, the Congress high command dropped him from the Bihar election campaign.

His latest comments in Kerala attracted severe criticism, with Minister V Sivankutty terming Revanth Reddy’s remarks as “deeply offensive” and “a violation of political decorum”. Revanth Reddy’s remarks only served to enhance the dignity of the LDF government while exposing the Congress party’s own political standards to the public, he was quoted as saying in a media report. Given these developments, the Congress-led UDF appears to be ill at ease about his statements in Kerala.

Another interesting aspect, political observers point out, is the outcome of elections wherever Revanth Reddy campaigned earlier. In the Maharashtra Assembly elections in November 2024 and in New Delhi in January 2025, Revanth Reddy made similar claims. He asserted that the Congress government in Telangana had fulfilled its electoral promises. However, the party lost in both elections.

In Maharashtra, the Congress performed poorly in nine of the ten constituencies where he campaigned. He held road shows and public meetings in areas with a significant Telugu-speaking population, yet the party lost those seats. In New Delhi, he said the Telangana government had waived farm loans worth Rs.21,000 crore. This claim contrasted with complaints from farmers who said they were struggling to get their loans waived.