Telangana Congress cabinet aspirants face longer wait

Telangana Congress leaders aspiring for cabinet berths may have to wait longer as the party high command remains focused on developments in Karnataka. Several MLAs are lobbying for ministerial positions while speculation over cabinet expansion and reshuffle continues within Gandhi Bhavan

Hyderabad: In the wake of developments in the Karnataka Congress, the anxious wait for cabinet berth aspirants in Telangana continues. Given the party high command’s focus on Karnataka affairs, leaders in Telangana believe that those aspiring for ministerial positions may have to wait a little longer.

For the past 10 days, the Congress high command has been preoccupied with developments in Karnataka.

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Though the leadership issue has been settled and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is set to take over as Chief Minister, discussions over cabinet changes are expected to continue for some more time. This is particularly due to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s insistence on accommodating his supporters in the proposed cabinet reshuffle.

Amid these developments, aspirants for cabinet berths in Telangana are expected to remain waiting for a few more days. “For the party high command, Karnataka is now the top priority and Telangana affairs will be handled later,” a senior leader from Gandhi Bhavan said.

There are currently two vacancies in the Telangana cabinet. Over the past year, aspirants from the erstwhile Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Nizamabad districts have been making efforts to secure ministerial positions.

Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy, Parigi MLA Tammannagari Ram Mohan Reddy and Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy are among the frontrunners. While Malreddy Ranga Reddy is stressing his seniority, Ram Mohan Reddy is highlighting his loyalty to the party, pointing out that unlike some others, he had not quit the Congress before securing a position. Rajgopal Reddy, meanwhile, has reportedly been reminding the leadership about the assurance made to him by the party high command.

At the same time, Devarakonda MLA Balu Naik from the Scheduled Tribe community, Yellareddy MLA Madan Mohan Rao and Jukkal MLA Laxmi Kantha Rao are also lobbying hard for cabinet berths. Though Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has been dismissing reports of a cabinet reshuffle as mere media speculation, several senior leaders are said to be actively lobbying in New Delhi for ministerial positions.

There was speculation within Gandhi Bhavan that cabinet expansion and reshuffle would be taken up after the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. However, with the latest developments in the Karnataka Congress, aspirants may have to keep their fingers crossed for a few more days.