The Telangana Assembly on Monday witnessed a rare and unexpected moment of political warmth, as Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Opposition Leader and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao , exchanged greetings and shook hands on the very first day of the Winter Session. The brief encounter, coming after weeks of sharp political exchanges, immediately became the most talked-about moment inside and outside the House.

KCR, who has attended Assembly sessions only a handful of times in the last two years, made a surprise appearance and took his seat on the Leader of Opposition bench even before most members arrived. His presence itself drew attention, especially in the backdrop of a bitter public war of words between him and Revanth Reddy last week over irrigation projects and other contentious issues.

As Revanth Reddy entered the House, he walked across to the opposition benches, greeted KCR, and shook hands with him. The gesture set the tone for an unusual display of cordiality, with several Congress ministers and MLAs lining up to greet the former Chief Minister. In a mirror image, BRS MLAs were seen walking over to the treasury benches to exchange pleasantries with Congress leaders. The sudden camaraderie came as a surprise, particularly after the fiercely contested Jubilee Hills by-election and the recent Gram Panchayat election battles.

KCR remained seated in the House during the condolence motions for former MLAs Ramreddy Damodar Reddy and Konda Laxma Reddy. Soon after the resolutions were completed, he signed the attendance register and quietly left the Assembly, exiting within minutes of the session’s commencement and returning to his residence in Banjara Hills, even before Zero Hour began.

The handshake triggered political reactions as well.  Welcoming Revanth's gesture, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao said that respect for KCR as the leader who achieved Telangana statehood exists across the state and that basic political courtesy should prevail inside the Assembly as well as outside. “A positive atmosphere where political rivals can greet each other is good for democracy,” he remarked. Responding to media queries, CM Revanth Reddy downplayed the significance of the meeting, stating that it was not the first time he had met KCR after becoming Chief Minister. “As the leader of the House, I respect everyone. That’s why I greeted KCR and asked about his health,” he said, adding that questions about KCR’s early exit should be directed by the media to the former CM himself.

While brief, the encounter offered a momentary pause in Telangana’s otherwise intense political climate, sparking discussion on whether civility might coexist with rivalry in the Assembly.