Political Rivals, Tactical Friends: Revanth Reddy-Asaduddin Owaisi's Unique Equation

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has often been a sharp critic of the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, taking positions against the party on several national issues both inside and outside Parliament.

Yet Telangana presents a strikingly different political equation: Owaisi and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy have evolved into tactical political allies, despite their past differences.

The equation was on display on Thursday when Revanth Reddy and Owaisi shared a public platform. Owaisi made the relationship explicit, saying, "We are supporting Revanth Reddy, not any party."

The public endorsement came amid Revanth Reddy facing an internal revolt within his party and his sacking of minister Konda Surekha from his cabinet. Owaisi's comment is seen as political posturing and a message to those projecting the Chief Minister as weak.

Revanth Reddy, too, while speaking, responded with unusually strong praise, saying Owaisi was "no less than PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah" when it came to patriotism and protecting the country.

Congress and AIMIM remain adversaries at the national level, but in Telangana their relationship is increasingly defined by tactical pragmatism.

Owaisi has previously attacked Revanth Reddy, even urging former chief minister K Chandrasekhara Rao to confront him politically.

During the 2023 Assembly poll campaign, while Owaisi called him "RSS-Anna" and urged voters to stay away from Congress, Revanth Reddy had called the Hyderabad MP the "B team of BJP".

But now with the Congress in power in the state, the equation has changed. For Revanth Reddy, Owaisi's support can strengthen his position among Muslim voters and in Hyderabad; for Owaisi, the equation provides political access and influence under the Congress government.

The numbers also explain the stakes, as in Telangana Muslims constitute 12.7% (many counts say 17%) of the state population and are electorally significant in roughly 40 Assembly constituencies; in Hyderabad, their share is around 30%.

Ahead of the 2028 Assembly election, Revanth Reddy is trying to further consolidate his position within the Congress government, and the Owaisi equation adds another layer to his political stability - making their relationship less about ideological alignment and more about mutual political utility.

While nationally they remain political rivals, in Telangana they have become tactical friends.