My schooling was in BJP, college in TDP, working for Rahul Gandhi: T'gana CM
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Sunday that he completed his schooling in BJP, college in Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and now he is working for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The Chief Minister recalled his recent conversation with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during NITI Ayog meeting in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President, N. Chandrababu Naidu.
"The Prime Minister, while pointing towards Chandrababu Naidu, said that your friend is here. I told him, I studied in your school and his college and now working for Rahul Gandhi," he said.
The Chief Minister was speaking at an event where Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya's autobiography "Prajala Kathe Naa Aatmakatha" (The People's Story is My Autobiography) was released.
Revanth Reddy was with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in his student days. He was an MLA from the TDP before joining the Congress in 2017.
Stating that Governor Dattatreya is a person who has no enemies, the Telangana Chief Minister called him a role model for future leaders.
The Chief minister extolled Dattatreya rising to the rank of Governor from Gowliguda galli (narrow street in Gowliguda area).
He said that Governor Dattatreya maintained core values and never distanced himself from people despite adorning top positions during his entire political stint.
The Chief Minister recollected his personal relations with the Haryana Governor and his close observation of the senior leader's political journey.
He believes Governor Dattatreya at the state level enjoys the same stature which the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had at the national level.
Revanth Reddy said that every political leader admired Governor Dattatreya with the same respect even if he is not in power.
The popular 'Alai Bhalai' programme organised by Governor Dattatreya every year has been receiving overwhelming response from all party leaders and it is a testament to the leader's statesmanship.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind, former Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Ministers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, among others, addressed the event.
Chandrababu Naidu called Governor Dattatreya a 'true gentleman' and said that people affectionately call him 'Dattanna'.
CM Naidu added that Governor Dattatreya made a humble beginning as an ordinary BJP activist and went on to emerge as a national leader.
He said Governor Dattatreya participated in several movements and has risen up in public life facing all odds.
The TDP President was all praise for the Haryana Governor for upholding secularism and for bringing all sections of the society together with his annual programme 'Alai Bhalai'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
32 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Handshake abroad, discord at home with Opposition in the spotlight
A high-profile diplomatic offensive launched by New Delhi to rally international opinion in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor concluded on Sunday with the return of the Ravi Shankar Prasad-led 'Group II' from a fortnight-long mission to Europe. The delegation was one of seven that fanned out globally to expose Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism and reinforce India's strategic narrative in key capitals. More than 50 MPs, former diplomats, and ex-Union ministers were dispatched to 33 destinations, including Brussels, home to several European Union (EU) institutions. The delegations — drawn from across the political spectrum — are expected to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming days. Group II, which included BJP leader D Purandeswari and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, made stops in France, Italy, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany. The group's return coincided with the Ministry of External Affairs's (MEA's) announcement of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's upcoming European tour. In a statement, the MEA said in the first leg of his tour, Jaishankar will travel to Paris and Marseille in France. He will also hold talks with his EU counterpart Jean Noel Barrot and participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue in Marseille. In Brussels, Jaishankar will meet EU High Representative for foreign affairs and Vice-President Kaja Kallas. Jaishankar's trip builds on his recent May visits to the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, as well as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's engagements in Tokyo and Washington DC. Before Group II's return, Chaturvedi posted on social media that her delegation concluded its mission 'with a sense of satisfaction that India stands together, resolute in its fight against terrorism'. She thanked her party leadership and also the government 'for realising the need to take everyone along to send a strong message on Operation Sindoor and India's fight back against terror.' While formal assessments of the outreach are still forthcoming, the initiative appears to have burnished the profiles of several Opposition leaders. Congress' Shashi Tharoor, Salman Khurshid, and Manish Tewari; NCP (Sharad Pawar)'s Supriya Sule; DMK's Kanimozhi; AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi; BJP's Baijayant Panda; and JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha have emerged as prominent faces of the campaign. Yet the multi-party engagement has also stirred political turbulence back home. Khurshid, who travelled with Group III to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, publicly vented frustration over intra-party sniping. 'When on mission against terrorism... it's distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances. Is it so difficult to be patriotic?' he wrote in a veiled dig on social media. In Jakarta, he noted that Kashmir had 'major problems' for years and suggested that the abrogation of Article 370 had resolved them. According to government sources, Khurshid — given his experience — was crucial to India finding unequivocal support from the Malaysian government for Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, Tharoor, who headed Group V to the US, Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil, faced criticism from Congress ranks. Party leader Udit Raj accused him of being a 'super spokesperson of the BJP'. Tharoor pushed back, saying working in the national interest should not be viewed as partisan. 'We are here as representatives of a united India,' he said during a press meet, highlighting the diversity within his team: five parties, three religions, seven states. Supriya Sule, who led Group VII to Qatar, South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt, echoed this sentiment upon return. 'I couldn't be demanding a special Parliament session while representing India abroad,' she said, clarifying why she urged her party to wait until the delegations returned before pushing for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. She noted a warm reception in the countries her team visited. 'They consider India the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi,' she said. Her delegation included Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, Anurag Thakur, and Rajiv Pratap Rudy as members. Kanimozhi, who led Group VI to Russia, Slovenia, Greece, Latvia and Spain, received notable acclaim on social media, as did Owaisi, who travelled to the Gulf and North Africa as part of Group I led by the BJP's Panda. The wide participation of Opposition figures — many of whom often find themselves at odds with the government domestically —has not only elevated their international stature but also changed their perception among public and supporters of the ruling party.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Amit Shah will end DMK rule in 2026 with silent operation: BJP Tamil Nadu chief
Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran on Sunday escalated his party's offensive against the ruling DMK, saying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would carry out a "Silent Operation" to bring down the MK Stalin-led government in the 2026 Assembly at a rally in Madurai, where Shah had earlier targeted the DMK over alleged corruption and misgovernance, Nagendran said, "Chief Minister Stalin is asking,'Who is that Shah?' Let me tell him - this is the same Shah who helped the BJP come to power in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi. DMK is afraid of him."advertisementHe added, "Just like Prime Minister Modi conducted Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam attack, Amit Shah has now visited Meenakshi Amman, taken Sindoor, and will begin a 'Silent Operation' to end DMK rule." Nagendran accused the DMK of calling the BJP-AIADMK alliance a "betrayal alliance" out of fear. "They pelted stones at Indira Gandhi and made her bleed. Now they are talking about betrayal?" he also hit out at the ruling party over law and order in Tamil Nadu, especially in the Kongu region. "Elderly people are being murdered. Annamalai protested and demanded arrests within a month. The accused confessed to 19 murders. This government has failed to handle the police department," he concerns over increasing incidents of sexual assault, Nagendran said, "There are countless cases, but no proper action is being taken. All this will come to an end in 2026."advertisementAddressing alliance speculation, Nagendran clarified that the BJP is working with AIADMK under the NDA umbrella. "Don't ask about alliance every day. It is Amit Shah who formed the alliance. NDA will come to power in 2026 under EPS's leadership."Answering questions about his future plans, Nagendran said, "Reporters ask me what kind of yatra I'm planning. My yatra is to take our MLAs to the Assembly. On June 22, we'll hold a Murugan devotees' conference in Thiruparankundram, and after that, our voices will echo in Fort St George."Must Watch
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP's Ravinder Raina attends Urs, meets NC's tribal leaders
In a significant development, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravinder Raina on Sunday met National Conference tribal leaders Mian Altaf Larvi and his son Mian Mehar Ali as he visited Baba Nagri on the annual Urs of Nizam-ud-din Kiyanvi in central Kashmir's Kangan. Raina visited the shrine of the sufi saint and met the shrine's caretaker Mian Altaf Larvi, who is senior NC leader and member parliament from Anantnag-Rajouri seat, at his residence. Raina congratulated Mian Altaf Larvi on the occasion and felicitated him with a shawl. Raina, who is BJP's national executive member and former J&K BJP president, also wrote about the meeting on his X handle. 'Blessings from respected Peer Jenab Mian Altaf Sahib and Jenab Mehar Ali Sahib (MLA Kangan). Today, I participated in the annual Urs at Baba Nagri Wangat Lar (Kashmir),' he said. Larvis have been the spiritual leaders of the Baba Nagri and Muslim community for the past four generations with a huge following particularly among tribal communities. They have also been into politics with Mian Altaf's father Mian Bashir Larvi, before joining the spiritual tradition, also serving as four times MLA of J&K assembly and also cabinet minister. Raina also patted Mian Altaf's son and MLA Kangan, Meher Ali on his back and praised him for raising the voice of his people in the J&K assembly. Raina also told him: 'You are not only the pride of J&K but of the whole India'. The meetings assume significance as BJP and NC are the strong rivals in Jammu and Kashmir assembly. Mian Altaf won the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat in 2024 defeating People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti. BJP had not fielded its candidate and had given hints of supporting one of the contestants not linked to Congress, NC and PDP. On the other hand, BJP has been wooing the tribal community in Jammu and Kashmir and added the Pahari group, along with other communities, to the Scheduled Tribes list of Jammu and Kashmir in 2024. Although being a vocal critic of BJP, NC vice-president and J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah has been praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking return of statehood to J&K. In January, during Sonamarg tunnel's inauguration, Abdullah had lavished praise on Modi in Sonamarg saying that he was waiting for the fulfilment of the PM's statehood promise. On Friday, during the inauguration of Chenab Bridge and Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat train, Omar Abdullah raised the issue of statehood for the union territory in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he had been demoted while Lieutenant Governor of J&K was promoted.
