With former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin inducted as a minister last week, two vacancies still remain in the Cabinet. If three ministers are shown the door, the total number of available berths will rise to five.
Published Nov 04, 2025 | 4:24 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 04, 2025 | 4:34 PM
In private conversations over the past week, Revanth Reddy is understood to have poured out his anguish over Goud’s style of functioning.
Synopsis: At least three ministers are likely to be dropped as the Congress high command prepares for a major Cabinet reshuffle in Telangana to address the government’s waning popularity and growing public dissatisfaction. Sources indicate that the exercise, expected to take place after the 11 November Jubilee Hills by-election, will involve a near-total rejig of portfolios. Incumbents such as Konda Surekha, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar are likely to be shown the door, while those tipped for induction include TPCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, Balu Naik and actor-turned-politician Vijayashanti.
At least three ministers are likely to face the axe as the Congress high command prepares a Cabinet reshuffle in Telangana. The move aims to stem the two-year-old government’s falling popularity amid growing public discontent over its performance.
The reorganisation, expected to involve a near-total rejig of portfolios, is likely to take place soon after the forthcoming by-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency on 11 November.
Those tipped to be dropped from the Cabinet are Konda Surekha, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Ponam Prabhakar, while Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud is among the names being considered for induction.
Surekha, who represents the Warangal (East) constituency and handles the Endowments and Environment portfolios, has been the most controversial of the lot. Public spats with fellow ministers aside, she has also faced allegations of corruption involving her aides.
The biggest blow to the government and the party came recently, when her daughter openly levelled serious accusations against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and several ministers. The government has since transferred the police officer in charge of Warangal East, who was reportedly at the beck and call of Surekha’s husband, Murali.
Venkat Reddy, from Nalgonda district, and Ponnam Prabhakar, who represents Karimnagar, are being dropped for other reasons, the former largely to make way for his brother, Rajagopal Reddy, who was promised a Cabinet berth when he defected from the Bharatiya Janata Party to the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
Rajagopal has been openly critical of the party for failing to keep its word, frequently airing his grievances in public. Since it would be unseemly to have both brothers in the Cabinet, one appears set to be sacrificed for the other.
Venkat Reddy currently serves as Minister for Roads and Buildings, while Ponnam Prabhakar holds the Transport and Backward Classes (BCs) Welfare portfolios. However, it is quite possible that Ponnam will be given a party post, possibly as president of the TPCC.
This is because the incumbent TPCC Chief, Mahesh Kumar Goud, is among the new faces being considered for a ministerial berth. Both Ponnam and Mahesh belong to the Goud community within the BCs.
Appointed TPCC Chief a year ago, Mahesh is keen on a Cabinet position even as he nurses ambitions of one day occupying the top post.
If party sources are to be believed, the chief minister is, however, not in favour of his induction into the Cabinet, though it is entirely possible that Revanth could be overruled by the party high command in Delhi.
Of late, Revanth has been venting his ire, albeit in private, at Mahesh Goud for acting against his interest on various issues. Yet, true to the Congress tradition, Mahesh may be brought in to maintain internal checks and balances.
Another surprise inclusion in the Cabinet is likely to be actor-turned-politician Vijayashanti, who, like several others, joined the party ahead of the last Assembly elections. She was later nominated as an MLC and is expected to fill the woman’s slot that will be vacated by Surekha.
With former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin inducted as a minister last week, two vacancies still remain in the Cabinet. If three ministers are shown the door, the total number of available berths will rise to five.
Balu Naik, from the Lambada community among Scheduled Tribes (STs), is a certain inclusion, according to party insiders. The Lambadas had firmly backed the Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections, but the community remains unrepresented in the Cabinet.
Naik, who represents the Devarakonda constituency in Nalgonda district, currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. Minister Seetakka from Warangal district is also an ST but belongs to the Koya community.
Adi Srinivas from Karimnagar is another likely choice. He represents the Munnuru Kapu community, an important group among the BCs, which also currently has no representation in the Cabinet.
What is also certain, sources in Delhi said, is a complete reshuffle of portfolios.
None of the senior ministers, including Bhatti Vikramarka (Finance) and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy (Revenue), are likely to retain their present departments.
Industries and IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, regarded as the only non-controversial member of the Cabinet, is likely to be elevated with more significant portfolios. His performance, insiders say, has been rated several notches above that of his colleagues.
After multiple rounds of feedback and internal reviews, the Congress high command has reportedly concluded that a surgical strike on the state Cabinet is the only way to halt the slide in the party’s fortunes before it becomes too late.
Whether this move will prove effective, however, remains to be seen.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
