Revanth Reddy Blames BJP for Rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan Rajya Sabha Nomination

On Friday, June 12, 2026, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy blamed the BJP for the rejection of state Congress affairs in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination during a press interaction in Hyderabad. Defending local Congress leadership from internal rift allegations, Reddy claimed that the state party leaders had no role in the nomination row.

The Chief Minister had recently traveled to New Delhi, where he met with Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to explain the circumstances surrounding the rejection of Natarajan's nomination. During this meeting, Reddy clarified that Telangana Congress leaders were not responsible for the issue.

Speaking to reporters, Reddy accused the BJP of transitioning from "vote theft" to "seat theft." He alleged that the Returning Officer handled Natarajan's nomination in a deliberately faulty manner to serve the interests of the ruling party at the Centre.

Reddy argued that election rules only mandate the disclosure of active criminal cases, rather than court notices or summons. He maintained that the rejection was engineered externally to create political friction.

The Chief Minister also targeted Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, accusing him of consistently failing to support Telangana at the national level. He claimed that the Union Minister was actively obstructing key infrastructure projects, including the Regional Ring Road and the Hyderabad Metro Rail, at the behest of the BRS.

Additionally, Reddy demanded that BJP MPs from Telangana pressure both the Central government and the Maharashtra government to release 1,500 acres of land for the Tummidihatti project. He noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had agreed to meet with him in July to discuss the matter.

Addressing other local controversies, Reddy defended his government's decision to deny permission for Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's proposed meeting in Hyderabad, citing potential law and order issues.

He also addressed recent backlash over his remarks referencing Adolf Hitler. Reddy denied using the dictator as a role model, explaining that his comments were strictly about the origin of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA). He blamed the media for twisting his live-telecast statements.

Regarding political appointments, Reddy stated that no discussions had taken place with the Congress high command concerning a potential Cabinet expansion in the state.