Buzz grows over Telangana Cabinet reshuffle with Vijayashanti tipped for berth

Speculation over a Telangana cabinet reshuffle grows after the Jubilee Hills by-election. Actor-turned-politician Vijayashanti is tipped for a potential surprise elevation. Community representation, controversies involving Ministers, and lobbying by senior leaders may determine changes in portfolios and new inductions

Hyderabad: With the high-octane Jubilee Hills by-election over, speculation over an impending cabinet reshuffle has intensified, and there is a buzz in Gandhi Bhavan that MLC Vijayashanti could spring a surprise.

After the induction of former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin into the cabinet last month, several Congress leaders believe a reshuffle is on the cards. Many feel a few Ministers may be stripped of their portfolios or even dropped, as the State leadership weighs community representation while reworking the cabinet.

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Amid this, talk in Gandhi Bhavan suggests that actor-turned-politician Vijayashanti may be poised for an unexpected elevation. During the MLC elections under the MLAs quota in March, Telangana Congress leaders were caught off guard when the party high command nominated her under the BC quota.

Rumours indicate that the MLC has already begun lobbying for a cabinet berth with the high command. Given her proximity to senior leaders in Delhi, nothing can be ruled out, a senior leader at Gandhi Bhavan said.

Much will, however, depend on the State leadership’s efforts to maintain community representation. If Vijayashanti is to be accommodated under the BC quota, one of the existing BC Ministers may have to vacate a place for her.

Forest Minister Konda Surekha and her family have recently been in the news for the wrong reasons, and she has been openly critical of the State leadership on several issues, including the Medaram Jathara tender controversy.

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar’s comments against his cabinet colleague and SC Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar also caused embarrassment to the party.

Rumours suggest TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud could also be considered for a BC quota berth, though he recently said he was satisfied with his current position.

Party sources say Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao is also on the radar. Though he is not from the BC community, there is speculation that he may be replaced with another candidate.

Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy has long been eyeing a cabinet berth. The government recently appointed Bhodan MLA Sudershan Reddy as Advisor and Mancherial MLA Prem Sagar Rao as Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman.

If Rajgopal Reddy is to be inducted, one Reddy community Minister would have to be dropped, and party sources opine that his elder brother Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is the most likely to be replaced.