Published Aug 24, 2024 | 2:32 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 24, 2024 | 2:32 PM
File photo of MLC B Mahesh Goud with Rahul Gandhi. (X)
The curtain may come down on speculation on cabinet expansion and filling of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief’s post soon.
After prolonged discussion with the party’s top brass, the Telangana Congress leaders are left with the impression that in a couple of days, the party high command will make an official statement on the new face of the TPCC.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress Telangana in-charge Deepadas Munsi reputedly explained to the party supremo Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge at Delhi on Friday, 24 August, on the pressure building on them for cabinet expansion and the filling of the TPCC chief’s post. Later they conferred with AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.
For the PCC chief’s post, it appears three names are under active consideration by the party leadership in Delhi.
They are: MLC B Mahesh Kumar Goud (BC), former union minister and incumbent Lok Sabhha member from Mahabubabad Poriki Balaram Naik (ST) and MLA from Dharapuri Adluri Lakshman (SC).
According to sources, Mahesh Kumar is emerging as the Congress party high command’s favourite, should the party decide in favour of a BC candidate. Though former MP Madhu Yashki Goud is also in the race, the party seems to be inclined favourably to Mahesh Kumar Goud.
If the party decides to go in for a scheduled caste, it is more than likely that Dharmapuri MLA Adluri Laxman Kumar might be considered and if the party has to pick someone from tribal communities, Mahabubabad MP Balaram Naik might fit the bill.
As BCs constitute more than 50 percent of the population, with Gouds being a major caste among the BCs, the state leaders of the party believe that Mahesh Kumar Goud might become the Congress high command’s choice.
As Chief Minister Revanth is a Reddy himself, there is no question of another Reddy being considered for the PCC chief’s post or for that matter any forward caste candidate, since it leaves scope for criticism that for all the important posts, the party is ignoring the BCs or STs or SCs.
The Congress high command is also in favour of the cabinet expansion soon. Though no date has been fixed it might take place in the first week of September. As there are six vacancies in the cabinet, the Congress high command is taking a call on whether to fill all of them or leave a couple of berths vacant for future exigencies.
According to sources if the party top brass decides in favour of filling all the six berths, it may ask Revanth Reddy to pick two Reddys, one BC, one SC, one ST and one minority MLC.
Former Minister MLA P Sudarshan Reddy (Bodhan) and Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy (Munugode), Nenavathi Balu Naik (Devarakonda, ST) G Vivek Venkataswamy (Chennur, SC), Vakati Srihari (Makthal, BC) and Ameer Ali Khan (Minority, MLC), are the top contenders.
However, the party would have to do a lot of explaining to the party members and the people if it takes Rajagopal Reddy since his brother Venkata Reddy is already a minister.
Similarly, Peddpalli MP Gaddam Vamsikrishna is the son of Gaddam Vivek Venkata Swamy. If Vivek is taken into the berth, there might be criticism of favouring the Gaddam family unduly since Vivek’s brother Gaddam Vinod is MLA from Bellampally.
As there is no one in the cabinet from Hyderabad, the party might consider Malreddy Rangareddy because of the proximity of his constituency Ibrahimpatnam to the city as Congress drew a blank in Hyderabad in the Assembly election.
Though Danam Nagender is from Khairtabad, he won the election on a BRS ticket and later joined the Congress. It might be difficult to take him into the cabinet unless the BRSLP merges with the CLPs which may not happen in the near future.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula.)
