Why Revanth Reddy Said 'No' To Dy CM?

[Anta Assamey]

When everything was assumed to be planned, why didn't things happen as expected?

It was thought yesterday that the CLP meeting would be held in the morning, the Chief Minister would be finalized by the afternoon, and the swearing-in ceremony would take place in the evening. But why was it canceled?

Here is the inside story of what actually happened.

In the CLP meeting today morning, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka initially presented his proposal to make himself the Chief Minister. However, DK Shivakumar made it clear that the High Command had decided to appoint only Revanth Reddy as CM, and there was no room for discussion on that. 

Bhatti then asked for the Deputy Chief Minister post. Surprisingly, Revanth Reddy opposed this, stating that there shouldn't be any Deputy Chief Minister in the state to avoid unnecessary complications down the line. 

Condemning Revanth's opinion, DK Shiva Kumar and others insisted, confirming Bhatti Vikramarka as the Deputy CM. Then Revanth proposed a compromise, suggesting two Deputy Chief Ministers proposing the name of Seetakka as well.

In response, Bhatti Vikramarka became upset and walked out of the meeting, insisting on being the sole Deputy CM, with no one else in that position. 

Bhatti also began his political maneuvering outside the meeting, engaging with other leaders. Subsequently, numerous proposals from different candidates regarding Ministries and Portfolios surfaced.

Many expressed displeasure at how Revanth Reddy, who joined just two years ago, could dictate terms to senior party members. 

Amidst the chaos, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi called for a meeting in Delhi to finalize the positions. 

It is known that Revanth Reddy has been asserting that his party will come to power, and he will be sworn in at LB Stadium on December 9th. However, his rush immediately after the election results is unclear. Is he worried that delay would disturb his CM dreams? 

Despite Revanth's seemingly confirmed position as CM, his camaraderie with second-level leaders appears to be strained. Will the Congress High Command spare this? We'll have to see what the outcome will be after the Delhi meeting. That's the way of Congress, as many know.

The question here is why Revanth said 'no' to the Deputy CM.

According to analysts, the reason is that, considering the influence of DK Shivakumar, who holds the position of Deputy CM in Karnataka, Revanth is taking care not to encourage any other power center in the state besides him. 

It is known that Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah is essentially a figurehead, and DK Shivakumar wields significant power within the party. Therefore, according to Revanth, if having a Deputy CM is inevitable, he suggests having more than one Deputy CM to prevent the emergence of an alternative solo-power-center.

In Andhra Pradesh, there are also multiple Deputy CMs, but they are considered nominal. The approach of the Congress, however, differs; the Deputy CM could potentially become a significant force. This is why Revanth is concerned.