Telangana CM Revanth Reddy warns of vote deletion plot in SIR
Synopsis
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has accused unnamed political forces of plotting to delete voter registrations in the ongoing SIR — drawing a direct parallel with West Bengal — while challenging Home Minister Amit Shah to first remove the minority quota in Gujarat before targeting Telangana's four per cent reservation.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy on 13 August warned of a conspiracy to delete votes during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.
He alleged the same forces behind vote deletions in West Bengal have declared Telangana as their next target.
Congress cadre were directed to conduct door-to-door voter verification across the state.
Revanth Reddy defended the state's four per cent minority reservation and challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to first remove the Muslim quota in Gujarat .
World boxing champion Nikhat Zareen received a Group-1 job and ₹3 crore cash prize; cricketer Mohammed Sirajuddin was appointed as a DSP .
The government has established a Skills University to channel minority youth toward employment in countries like Germany and Japan .
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday, 13 August urged citizens to safeguard their electoral rights during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, alleging that certain political forces were conspiring to delete votes in the state. The appeal was made at the Minorities Excellence Summit in Hyderabad.
The Vote Deletion Allegation
Revanth Reddy claimed that the same forces responsible for the removal of lakhs of votes in West Bengal ahead of its Assembly elections were now targeting Telangana. He quoted what he described as a declaration by these forces: 'After winning West Bengal, these political forces said their next target is Telangana.' He asserted that the Indian National Congress (Congress) would not allow any eligible voter to be disenfranchised in the state.
The Chief Minister directed Congress cadre to conduct door-to-door checks across every household to verify voter registrations. 'Every Congress worker should become Revanth Reddy to safeguard the right to vote,' he said, framing the exercise as a grassroots electoral protection campaign.
Minority Reservation and BJP Challenge
Revanth Reddy defended the state government's implementation of four per cent reservation for minorities, crediting the Congress party for its enforcement despite legal and political resistance. He noted that some forces had approached the Supreme Court to stall the recruitment process, but said the government pursued the matter and completed the appointments.
He directly named Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying Shah had publicly stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would scrap the Muslim quota if it came to power in Telangana. Revanth Reddy responded with a counter-challenge: 'We already challenged Amit Shah to first remove the Muslim quota in Gujarat.'
Minority Welfare Measures Cited
The Chief Minister listed several steps taken by his government for the minority community. A member from the minority community was appointed to the Telangana Public Service Commission. Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin was inducted into the State Cabinet. World boxing champion Nikhat Zareen was given a Group-1 level government job along with a cash prize of ₹3 crore, and cricketer Mohammed Sirajuddin was appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Skills and Employment Push
Revanth Reddy also advised minority youth to build vocational skills alongside formal education, pointing to job opportunities in Germany and Japan. He said the state government had established a Skills University to support this objective. The summit served as a platform to consolidate the government's outreach to the minority community ahead of what political observers note is an increasingly competitive electoral landscape in Telangana.
Point of View
Casting the BJP as a national threat to franchise without naming the party directly in the same breath. On minority reservation, his Gujarat counter-challenge puts the BJP in an awkward position: defending the quota's absence there while attacking its presence in Telangana. The real question mainstream coverage is missing is whether the SIR process in Telangana has produced any verified data on deletion numbers — without that, the allegation remains a political claim, not a documented threat.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and why is it controversial in Telangana?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic exercise by the Election Commission to update and clean up voter rolls. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has alleged that political forces are using this process to illegitimately delete eligible voters' names, comparing it to what he claims happened in West Bengal before its Assembly elections.
Which political party did Revanth Reddy accuse of plotting vote deletions?
Revanth Reddy did not name a party explicitly in every instance, but the context of his remarks — referencing Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP's stated position on minority reservation — made the implied target clear. He warned that Congress would resist any such attempt in Telangana.
What is Telangana's four per cent minority reservation and who is trying to remove it?
The Telangana government under the Congress has implemented a four per cent reservation for minorities in government jobs and services. CM Revanth Reddy stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had publicly said the BJP would scrap this quota if it came to power in Telangana, a claim the Chief Minister used to frame the reservation as a Congress-protected entitlement.
What welfare announcements were made for minorities at the Minorities Excellence Summit?
CM Revanth Reddy cited the induction of former cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin into the State Cabinet, a Group-1 government job and ₹3 crore cash prize for world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen, and the appointment of cricketer Mohammed Sirajuddin as a DSP, among other measures.
What is Telangana's Skills University and what is its purpose?
The Telangana Skills University is a state government institution set up to provide vocational and technical training to students alongside formal education. CM Revanth Reddy highlighted it as a vehicle to help minority youth access job opportunities in countries such as Germany and Japan.
