Published Mar 05, 2026 | 1:17 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 05, 2026 | 1:52 PM
Vem Narender Reddy.
Synopsis: Vem Narender Reddy, a seasoned Telangana politician, filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on 5 March. A political career marked by resilience, party shifts, and above all, unwavering loyalty to Revanth Reddy, this nomination represents a high point.
It was the Bannister moment for Vem Narender Reddy, a seasoned Telangana politician, when he filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 5 March.
The opportunity has been a long time coming. Narender Reddy’s political fortunes began to improve after the Congress came to power in Telangana in 2023.
He is now set to enter the Upper House representing the state. “I am profusely thankful to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for this opportunity. I consider it a blessing from them,” he said after filing his nomination papers.
Narender Reddy’s political career has been marked by resilience, party shifts, and above all, unwavering loyalty to Revanth Reddy.
His nomination to the Rajya Sabha alongside senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi marked his transformation from a TDP foot soldier to a trusted confidant of Chief Minister Revanth ReddHis nomination to the Rajya Sabha alongside senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi marked his transformation from a TDP foot soldier to a trusted confidant of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy — a political association that has finally borne fruit.
Both leaders filed their nomination papers on Thursday morning. Earlier, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Kumar Goud handed over Narender Reddy, the B-form for election to the upper house.
Born in 1960 in Arpanapalle village in Kesamudram mandal of Mahabubabad district, Narender Reddy comes from a modest agrarian background. A Bachelor of Arts graduate, he represents the archetype of the Congress’s silent grassroots workers.
Narender Reddy’s political journey began with the founding of the TDP in 1982, which he joined along with his brother Purushottam Reddy. He later served as a party general secretary. His first major electoral breakthrough came in 2004 when he won the Mahabubabad Assembly seat on a TDP ticket.
However, his electoral fortunes dipped after 2009. The TDP’s weakening presence in Telangana during the statehood agitation tested his political resilience.
In the 2010 by-election for Warangal West — an urban stronghold — he suffered a defeat at the hands of Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar of the TRS (now the BRS).
Undeterred, Narender Reddy contested the 2015 Legislative Council election under the MLAs’ quota on a TDP ticket. The contest, however, drew him into a controversy that still resonates in Telangana politics.
On 31 May 2015, Revanth Reddy — then a TDP MLA and now the chief minister — was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in the high-profile “cash-for-vote” case. He was allegedly caught on camera offering ₹50 lakh to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to secure support for Narender Reddy’s MLC bid.
Revanth later described the episode as a political conspiracy, but the case highlighted the close political bond between the two leaders.
Revanth publicly acknowledged supporting Narender Reddy’s campaign and vowed to fight the case legally. Although Narender Reddy lost the MLC election, the episode forged a strong personal and political bond between them.
The decisive turning point came in late 2017 amid the TDP’s declining relevance in Telangana. On 28 October that year, Narender Reddy resigned from the TDP’s primary membership, citing ideological differences and the party’s failure to adequately represent Telangana’s aspirations.
Three days later, on 31 October, he joined the Congress in New Delhi alongside Revanth Reddy in the presence of then All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The coordinated move reflected a relationship that had evolved over more than a decade. Often described as a close associate and family friend, Narender Reddy had remained one of Revanth’s most loyal political allies.
Their entry injected fresh energy into the Congress’s Telangana unit, which had been struggling after successive electoral setbacks. Revanth Reddy, known for his fiery oratory, frequently acknowledged Narender Reddy’s organisational abilities.
Videos of Narender Reddy defending Revanth in public meetings went viral at the time, reinforcing their image as a formidable political pair.
After joining the Congress, Narender Reddy’s rise within the party was steady. On 26 June 2021, he was appointed vice-president of the TPCC, where he worked on strengthening the party’s organisation in rural districts.
During the crucial 2023 Assembly elections, which brought the Congress to power, Narender Reddy played an important organisational role. He coordinated administrative processes, ensured compliance with Election Commission regulations, and oversaw grassroots mobilisation. He worked closely with District Congress Committee presidents and mandal-level units to streamline campaign logistics.
The Congress eventually secured 64 seats in the Assembly, helping propel Revanth Reddy to the chief minister’s post in December 2023.
Narender Reddy’s loyalty was soon rewarded. On 20 January 2024, the Telangana government issued a Government Order (GO Ms No. 115) appointing him as Advisor to the Chief Minister (Public Affairs) with the rank and status of Minister of State.
In this unelected but influential role, he acted as a bridge between the government and the party while handling public grievances. His office in Hyderabad also became a meeting point for leaders from the BRS seeking to switch to the Congress.
By early 2025, Narender Reddy had emerged as a frontrunner for a Legislative Council seat under the graduates’ quota, but the opportunity eluded him.
The Rajya Sabha nomination comes as a major break for him in his long political journey. With two seats falling vacant, the Congress high command, led by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, cleared the nominations of Narender Reddy and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Though more than 16 aspirants were in the fray for the second seat, Revanth Reddy strongly backed Narender Reddy’s candidature. With no significant objections from within the party, the leadership endorsed the chief minister’s choice.
Several factors worked in Narender Reddy’s favour: His steadfast loyalty to Revanth Reddy since the 2015 controversy, his standing within the influential Reddy community in Telangana, and his administrative role as advisor, where he helped streamline political and electoral strategies.
For Narender Reddy, the Rajya Sabha nomination represents a high point in his long and often turbulent political journey — one built on loyalty, persistence, and strategic alliances.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
