After almost a year-and-a-half after coming to power, the Congress government in Telangana will add a fresh set of ministers to its cabinet. The date of cabinet expansion is likely to be around Ugadi festival, the Telugu new year which is considered auspicious in the region.
There is a high chance that two prominent and senior ministers may be asked to resign from their posts. Since the last year, there have been speculations in this regard as there were half a dozen cabinet berths. Currently, there are 12 ministers including the chief minister and the maximum size of the cabinet is 18.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy along with Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy recently met the Congress high command comprising AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and senior leader and MP K.C. Venugopal and AICC Telangana incharge Meenakshi Natarajan. The list of probables was discussed at the meeting with both sides giving their inputs. It is learnt that four to five fresh faces would be inducted into the Cabinet and they would represent different communities like SC, ST and BC.
Though the Congress has not made any formal announcement in this regard, it has been understood that the final call will be made by the high command and the leaders would be informed of their elevation a day prior. According to Congress sources, G. Vivek, an industrialist who belongs to the SC community, is likely to be offered a ministry post. He also runs a popular regional news channel and newspaper and is the son of a former senior Congress leader G. Venkatswamy. The party views him as an important asset.
V. Srihari Mudiraj is an MLA from the Mudiraj community, a significant backward community. His name has been doing the rounds for some time now and his candidature is being backed by some prominent leaders within the party. N. Balu Naik, an ST leader from the Lambada community, is also a frontrunner for the post among other leaders from the community.
Though there are many Reddys, there is space for one more Reddy in the Cabinet, given that the politically influential community is seen as the backbone of the party. The CM also belongs to the same community. Komatreddy Rajagopal Reddy, who switched from the BJP, is also likely to be the new minister given his family’s clout in the Congress. His elder brother, Komatreddy Venkat Reddy, is already a minister in the Revanth Reddy’s cabinet.
There is also a possibility of a Muslim leader joining the Cabinet and there are multiple aspirants, including those who are MLCs. Though the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections are around the corner, the Congress is unlikely to pick a leader from Hyderabad and surrounding districts despite having no representation in the Cabinet from these areas. The party is expected to focus on this region in the third instalment of reshuffle while keeping in mind the interests of the leaders who have migrated from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
There is also heavy competition for the posts of Deputy Speaker and Chief Whip. It is unclear if Congress will rush to fill them up or choose them to pacify the disappointed leaders who couldn’t make it to the Cabinet. According to sources, two senior ministers who made controversial statements and acted against the party’s interests will be asked to step down. Serious corruption charges and inefficiency could also be the reason for the exit of these ministers.
