We cannot become second class citizens in India because of Centre’s policies: Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has warned that the outcome of India’s federal balance and governance will determine whether citizens, especially in southern states, will be treated as equal stakeholders or reduced to “second-class citizens”.

Speaking to The Hindu Group director N. Ram at the two-day The Hindu Huddle in Bengaluru on the theme “By the people, for the people and for the people: Good governance for Telangana”, the chief minister said the southern states will not accept an imbalance in the distribution of political power.

He alleged that the BJP was trying hard to widen this gap through the delimitation process and linked it to women’s reservation to hide the main issue. “Congress is ready even now to implement the Women’s Reservation Act if that is the primary intention,” he said.

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Crediting the Congress for playing a historic role in the empowerment of women, he said that women have consistently played a pivotal role in the country’s landmark political and social transformations. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the “Iron Lady” freed Bangladesh from Pakistan and Congress president Sonia Gandhi “bravely took the decision for a separate Telangana”, Mr Reddy said.

During a wide-ranging conversation, the Chief Minister said that Telangana is positioning itself as a global investment destination and is not limiting its competitiveness to neighboring states. “We are not competing with Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh. We are competing with China, Japan, South Korea and Germany,” he said, adding that his approach follows a ‘China+1’ strategy to attract global investment.

Mr. Reddy said he is actively studying international best practices and is open to learning from various sources, including officials in the field. He plans to visit China and learn best practices that could be implemented in Telangana as it is shaping up to be a ‘China+1’ destination. said Mr. Reddy.

He also mentioned his participation in a short course at Harvard University and said that exposure to global systems helps sharpen political thinking.

A public servant, not a ruler

Posing as a public servant rather than a ruler, the chief minister said governance must remain people-centric. “Whoever comes to power thinks he is the ruler. I believe I am an elected civil servant,” he said, identifying the youth, farmers and women as the key pillars of society.

Explaining his administrative approach, the chief minister said decision-making in his government is “mixed” and combines bureaucratic input, industry insights, media feedback and public opinion. “I finally take the call after listening to everyone and their suggestions,” he said.

Mr. Reddy also said he valued information from media reports, public interactions and field-level workers, describing the media as a “back-office information system” to control the administration.

With regard to his political journey, the Chief Minister said that his entry into public life was driven by citizen involvement rather than past support. He recalled how he resigned from his earlier political position after the Telangana bifurcation and rebuilt his career independently. “I fought for the common man. I have no brand or legacy support,” he said.

His political philosophy, he said, is to govern with the youth, farmers and women as the main stakeholders. Tracing unemployment concerns in Telangana to historical and structural issues, he said his government was determined to address job generation through expansion of both the public and private sectors.

Social initiatives

Highlighting major recruitment and welfare initiatives, he said Telangana has filled over 67,000 government posts in 15 months, which he described as one of the biggest recruitment drives in the country. In agriculture, he cited large-scale loan waivers and public procurement reforms, claiming that more than 25,000 farmer families have benefited from loan waivers worth ₹20,616 crore. He also pointed to the procurement support, input subsidies and farmer incentive programs introduced by the government.

The Chief Minister said that women empowerment remains the central pillar of governance in Telangana. He said Self Help Groups (SHGs) consisting of 67 thousand women have actively engaged in economic activities including transport services, renewable energy projects, petrol tanks and school management services.

Hindu Huddle is presented by Sami-Sabinsa Group as a presenting partner. The event is co-sponsored by the Government of Telangana and is being held in association with Khaja Bandanawaz University.

The event is further supported by Bank of Baroda, Larsen & Toubro, Apollo Hospitals, IIM Sirmaur, ICFAI Group, TAFE, Wizzmon, Uttarakhand Government, Associate Partners; Casagrand, real estate partner; Toyota, the luxury car partner; Amity University Bengaluru, Partner University; Harrow International School Bengaluru, Education Partner; Meghalaya Tourism, State Partner; and NDTV 24×7, TV Partner.

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Published – June 6, 2026 4:36 PM IST