Congress leader Udit Raj on Friday, 4 September said that AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's stated support for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy — rather than for the Congress party — reflects the fluid nature of regional political alignments, and should not be read as any shift at the national level.

Udit Raj on the Owaisi-Revanth Equation

Owaisi had recently indicated that his backing was personal to Revanth Reddy's leadership in Telangana, expressing hope that Hyderabad and the state would develop under the Chief Minister's governance. He also suggested that Revanth Reddy should govern in his own style and connect directly with people.

Responding to these remarks, Udit Raj said: 'That is regional politics; it is in Telangana. Political equations keep being made and broken, but not at the national level. Many times, regional equations are formed. If, to stop fascist forces and the RSS and the BJP, Revanth Reddy has made a local arrangement there, that is a different matter. But at the national level, there is no talk, nor should there be, because we know how they work towards polarisation.'

The remarks draw a clear line between tactical, state-level alignments and the Congress party's national political positioning — particularly vis-à-vis the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which the Congress has historically kept at arm's length at the federal level over concerns about vote polarisation.

The HIV Testing Controversy

Udit Raj also weighed in on a separate controversy involving K. Thomas, a clergy trustee of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, who called for mandatory HIV testing for couples before marriage. Thomas made the remarks during a family meet organised by the church on 30 August, attended by at least 1,000 people.

During his address, Thomas expressed his desire to see HIV testing introduced as a prerequisite for marriages conducted under the Mar Thoma Church.

Udit Raj's Stand on Mandatory Testing

Udit Raj opposed making such testing compulsory, arguing instead for awareness-led voluntary action. 'Awareness should be spread so that this is tested, and people will do it themselves. HIV is not incurable anymore; it can be prevented. So, an advisory can be issued, but any compulsory requirement by the church that taking a certificate is mandatory is wrong,' he said.

He added that advisories from health authorities and doctors already exist to caution people about the disease. 'We can also issue advisories, and doctors also advise everyone that this is a very dangerous disease, so one should remain cautious about it,' Udit Raj said.

Broader Context

The dual set of remarks — on regional political realignments and on public health mandates — reflect the Congress party's effort to position itself as both a pragmatic electoral force and a civil-liberties-conscious voice. Notably, the Owaisi-Congress dynamic has long been a flashpoint, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) frequently alleging a covert understanding between the two parties — a charge both sides have consistently denied. Udit Raj's statement appears designed to pre-empt that narrative while acknowledging ground-level Telangana realities.

As Telangana's political landscape continues to evolve under Revanth Reddy's leadership, regional equations will likely remain subject to constant recalibration ahead of future electoral cycles.