"Revanth Reddy Will Become Next Suvendu Adhikari": BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind's Big Claim

In a bid to set the proverbial cat among political pigeons, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dharmapuri Arvind made a stunning claim on Monday. The Nizamabad MP has hinted that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy could do a 'Suvendu Adhikari' to the Congress. Dharmapuri Arvind claimed Reddy could switch political sides just as Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari did when he dumped the Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP six years ago

Arvind went to say that the Congress leadership made a mistake by choosing Revanth Reddy as chief minister ignoring senior party leaders who had spent decades in the Congress.

The BJP MP then went on to draw a comparison between Revanth Reddy and Suvendu Adhikari, who joined the BJP and became one of Mamata Banerjee's strongest opponents in West Bengal politics.

The BJP MP also claimed that the Congress will face a big defeat in the next Telangana Assembly elections.

"Congress will face an unprecedented defeat in 2028-29 here in Telangana. They lost badly in 1985 and in 1994. In 2028-29, under the leadership of Revanth Reddy, the Congress party is going to face a disastrous defeat," Dharmapuri Arvind said.

The BJP MP's remarks gained political significance as they come days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a widely discussed comment seen as being directed at Revanth Reddy during a public event in Hyderabad. The Prime Minister had told the Telangana Chief Minister: "Aap jahan pahunchna chahte hain, nahi pahunch payenge... achha hai ki mere se hi judo" (You may not reach where you want to reach... you should join me"). The PM's comment triggered intense speculation across political circles.

Reddy was present on stage at the time and simply smiled at the invitation.

Referring to PM's Hyderabad comment, Dharmapuri Arvind said: "I don't know what that means exactly, as I am just a ground-level worker in the BJP. I'm not sure if there is a political link there. I really don't know if something is brewing, something similar to what Suvendu Adhikari did".

He, however, added that Telangana will see some 'high decibel politics' in the next two years, leading to the BJP coming to power in the state.

Dharmapuri Arvind's comments are expected to trigger strong reactions from the Congress and the chief minister, especially when political battlelines are sharply drawn between the BJP and the ruling party ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections expected sometime this year.