Book on Mohammed Ali Shabbir’s 45-year Congress journey released by Revanth Reddy
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on August 24 unveiled “Loyalty & Legacy: 45 Years with Congress Party” at Gandhi Bhavan, immediately after the TPCC Political Affairs Committee meeting. The book follows the public life of Mohammed Ali Shabbir, a senior Congress leader and Advisor to the Telangana Government, and brings together episodes from activism, policy work, and opposition leadership.
The release drew a full bench of party leadership. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, AICC Telangana incharge Meenakshi Natarajan, and TPCC President B. Mahesh Kumar Goud were on stage. Ministers and veterans attended in strength – Uttam Kumar Reddy, Damodar Raja Narsimha, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Adluri Lakshman Kumar, Konda Surekha, D. Seethakka, G. Vivek, Vakiti Srihari, V. Hanumantha Rao, K. Jana Reddy, Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, Dr. K. Keshav Rao, Balram Naik, and Anjan Kumar Yadav.
The story begins with Mohammed Ali Shabbir’s days in Youth Congress and NSUI, inspired by Indira Gandhi. In 1980, he campaigned in Kamareddy, then part of Medak Lok Sabha seat, for Indira Gandhi. That win set the tone. He stayed with Congress through long stretches in opposition and periods in power, rising through municipal work, the APCC, and legislative roles.
In Focus: Mohammed Ali Shabbir’s Policy Milestones
His first ministerial stint ran from 1989 to 1994. In 1993, he set up India’s first Minority Welfare Department, bringing the Waqf Board, Urdu Academy, Haj Committee, and Minorities Finance Corporation together. The government earmarked Rs. 2 crore for minorities in 1993–94. On August 25, 1994, GO MS No. 30 proposed a reservation net for 14 backward castes, among them Muslims, Kapus, Telagas, and Balijas. The plan stalled after Congress lost power and the Puttuswamy Commission did not submit a report despite extensions. Still, it marked a formal start to the party’s social justice drive in Andhra Pradesh.
From 2004 to 2009, under Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the push moved to delivery. The government’s initial 5% reservation for Muslims, later adjusted to 4% after court review, opened access to education and jobs for backward sections of the community. The book places beneficiaries at over 20 lakh across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The period also added English medium residential schools and junior colleges for minorities, scholarships, hostels, and mass marriages for poor Muslim girls – now Shaadi Mubarak. As NRI Affairs Minister, Mohammed Ali Shabbir coordinated repatriation for stranded Gulf workers and opened an attestation centre in the Secretariat.
He later served as Leader of Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Council, taking on the BRS government led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao on minority welfare, farmer distress, and governance. The editors argue that consistent debate work kept the party’s message visible despite low numbers.
Rival parties made offers. The TDP and later the BRS reportedly extended cabinet-linked opportunities. He declined and stayed with Congress. Out of 45 years, he spent 28 in opposition and 17 in power. The book treats that arithmetic as proof of staying power rather than calculation.
The preface by K. Jana Reddy adds a peer view. He recalls being a cabinet colleague and later a parallel Leader of Opposition, with Mohammed Ali Shabbir in the Council and himself in the Assembly. At the launch, Revanth Reddy called Mohammed Ali Shabbir a pillar of Congress in Telangana and highlighted the 4% reservation’s long arc.
The editors close with the risks that defined the journey. He went to jail over protests tied to remarks against Rajiv Gandhi. He faced ED questioning linked to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In 1997, he survived a Naxalite attack at Machareddy while unveiling statues of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Five workers were killed. The Gandhi Bhavan release therefore doubled as recognition of resilience, policy work, and organisational loyalty centred on Mohammed Ali Shabbir.
