The epitome of value

The epitome of value-based politics!

Examine the leadership style of Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and his approach to cooperative federalism in Telangana. Discover how his focus on public welfare and development is redefining democratic values in modern Indian politics.

“Positions are not ornaments; they are weapons obtained to serve the people. Politics is not a war of criticism; it is a continuous sacrifice for the welfare of society.”

These words might rarely be heard in today’s politics, but if one wants to see them put into practice, only one name comes to mind: Union Cabinet Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, G Kishan Reddy. In current times, politics has devolved into mutual slander, mudslinging, and manoeuvre to bring down opponents at any cost. In an era where values are fading and personal attacks are considered qualifications, the path followed by Kishan Reddy—a leader with the stature of a Chief Minister—serves as a new compass for Indian democracy. His is not a politics of grandstanding, but one of dedicated, practical action. Whatever the position or responsibility, his core philosophy remains prioritizing public interest.

State interests’ primary duty:

There is a Telugu proverb that translates to, “Win your home before you conquer the world.” Despite holding key responsibilities as a Union Cabinet Minister in the national capital, Kishan Reddy has never compromised on the interests of his home state, Telangana. Compared to other leaders, his style and decorum are entirely different. While responding to criticisms levelled against him, he continues to work for Telangana’s interests. He firmly believes in and practices the principle of “Cooperative Federalism,” where politics is limited only to elections, while everyone remains united in development.

Recently, even though Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy openly criticized Kishan Reddy regarding the Hyderabad Metro Phase-1 takeover debt issues and stalling of Phase-2 funds, Kishan Reddy did not take it as a matter of personal ego. As a leader who has been in local politics for decades, he understands how crucial metro expansion is for the future of Greater Hyderabad and its growth as a global city. Therefore, putting aside Revanth Reddy’s criticism, he played the role of a responsible “elder brother.”

He personally took the initiative to take Revanth Reddy to the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Union Minister for Urban Development Manohar Lal Khattar in Delhi. Kishan Reddy sat in the high-level reviews and personally explained the importance of Telangana’s metro expansion to the Union Ministers. As a result, the path was cleared for the release of ₹13,600 crore in IRFC loans and the approval of Metro Phase-2 by resolving technical bottlenecks.

Kishan Reddy has always been ready to provide such cooperation. During the BRS regime, he wrote over 40 letters to the BRS government and then-Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, offering suggestions to secure necessary projects for Telangana from the Centre and signalling his willingness to cooperate. However, the former Chief Minister viewed everything through a political lens, failed to respond, and declared a war on the Centre, causing loss to Telangana.

Today, politics is often defined by ensuring the opponent fails, obstructing every good initiative, and then acting out a performance before the public, saying, “See, they couldn’t do it.” The Congress party has been adopting this negative strategy at the national level for a long time. Prime Minister Modi has highlighted these many times. When the Central government introduces laws and projects for national interests and infrastructure, the Congress makes it a habit to obstruct them, approach courts for stays, and if those works get delayed, blame the Centre for it.

However, neither the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana nor Kishan Reddy as a Union Minister have ever engaged in such politics. His principle is that when holding responsible public office, the state’s interests must come before parties or flags. Kishan Reddy never hesitates to expose the failures and wrong policies of the Congress government democratically within the parliamentary framework. At the same time, he lacks the malicious intent to cause damage to Telangana for political gain only to blame it on Congress. However, if the state suffers due to Congress’s incompetence or negligence, he is always at the forefront to stand by the people and demand accountability.

Many in politics say, “Do not do politics at all.” But in reality, political leaders must do politics. However, Kishan Reddy understands the true meaning of politics very well. In his dictionary, politics means, “Working for the people, on behalf of the people, and constantly striving for the progress of the state.” In his long political journey—from a common worker to a Union Cabinet Minister—there is not a single stain of corruption.

Some people try to label him as “too soft” because of his style, suggesting he lacks the aggressiveness of “mass leaders.” But in politics, aggressiveness is not about hurling abuses at others before microphones or speaking recklessly to increase ratings. True aggressiveness is in fulfilling the responsibility given by the people silently and efficiently while winning their hearts in a democratic manner. He is the one credited with achieving miracles like the modernization of railway stations in the Secunderabad constituency, securing funds for the Regional Ring Road, the Science City, and the sanctioning of many national highways while working silently. Kishan Reddy is a master of this “silent revolution” politics.

In Indian democracy, it is easy to criticize, but it takes immense composure and patriotism to forgive the political turmoil behind an opponent’s criticism and extend a helping hand. Regardless of political enmity, it is only a leader of values like Kishan Reddy who could set aside egos to join hands when it comes to the state’s welfare and progress. The legal and administrative lobbying he performed to resolve state issues with Union Ministers once again proved his dedication to Telangana’s interests. He has shown how politics can be transformed not into a tool for mudslinging, but as a bridge for public welfare.

Amidst leaders who change ideologies for temporary political gains, Kishan Reddy is a rare leader who has walked under the same flag for decades for the ideology he believes in. Through his conduct, he has proven how one can go to central leaders to bring funds when Telangana faces a crisis, while simultaneously fighting for public issues as an opposition party in the state. His dignity, the culture of respecting even his enemies, and his nature of staying away from controversies and responding only through work is like a textbook for today’s young political leaders. There is no doubt that leaders like Kishan Reddy bring grace to whichever position they hold. He is a true role model for progressive, healthy politics.

The political journey of Kishan Reddy, who started as a common worker and rose to become a key force in the national capital, is a testament to commitment and constant hard work. In the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, he served as an MLA for three consecutive terms from the Amberpet constituency, becoming the voice of the people in the Assembly, and later left his mark in national politics. Not only did he win as an MP from Secunderabad twice consecutively, but he also proved his administrative capability when he took charge as a Union Minister of State upon his very first entry into Parliament.

Modi, recognizing his talent and dignity, promoted him to a full-fledged Cabinet Minister within just two years. That Kishan Reddy today successfully handles two highly critical departments—which were previously managed by two separate Cabinet Ministers—is living proof of his leadership management and the immense trust reposed in him. Recently, he also topped the performance rankings. His journey—rising to the pinnacle by considering every responsibility as a divine duty rather than running after positions or indulging in fanfare—is an exemplary textbook for current-generation politics.

The contributions of Kishan Reddy for the interests of Telangana are providing a great, inspiring message to society, especially to the young leaders of this generation. He has made it clear that using authority to trouble others by manipulating systems is not politics; true leadership is using the power given by the people for public benefit. In these times, when leaders waste time in mutual slander, the uncompromising dignity and practical action displayed by Kishan Reddy will undoubtedly remain a rare and exemplary chapter in the political history of the Telugu states.

(The writer is a member of the BJP National Council)