Telangana Congress explores AICC roles for Ministers amid Cabinet expansion buzz

The Telangana Congress leadership has reportedly proposed appointing two senior Ministers as AICC in-charges for other States, a move that could create Cabinet vacancies. The plan comes amid speculation over a Cabinet expansion and reports of growing differences within the government.

Hyderabad: Amid the buzz over a cabinet expansion and continuing differences among a few Ministers, the State Congress leadership is reportedly working on a plan to strengthen its hold over the government.

The leadership is stated to have urged the party high command to appoint two senior Ministers from Telangana as AICC in-charges for other States. The AICC usually appoints senior Congress leaders as in-charges to coordinate between the party high command and State units.

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The State leadership wants to use this practice to reinforce its authority and gain greater control over affairs in Telangana, a senior Congress leader disclosed

The appointment of two cabinet ministers as AICC in-charges would effectively mean that two vacancies would be created in the State cabinet and if everything goes according to the plan, these two vacancies would be filled in later.

The strategy behind this move is believed to be to get rid of two senior most ministers who are not known to see eye to eye with the Chief Minister. Moreover, these two ministers to be displaced could be convinced arguing that an AICC position is superior to that of a Cabinet berth. Simultaneously, the two vacancies would help the State leadership to accommodate two preferred MLAs or MLCs in the cabinet. The other two existing vacancies could then be filled as per the AICC’s directions, the TPCC senior leader explained.

This current proposal comes amid growing unease within the cabinet. A few Ministers have voiced their objections to interference in their departments.

In October last year, Forest Minister Konda Surekha’s daughter, Konda Sushmitha, accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other senior leaders of targeting her family. The allegation followed a police raid at their residence to arrest the Minister’s former OSD, N. Sumanth, who was facing extortion and corruption charges.

Konda Surekha had also objected to the alleged interference of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy in matters related to the Samakka Sarakka Jathara tenders.

The recent dispute between Tungaturthy MLA Mandula Samuel and the

Komatireddy brothers has also brought the party’s internal differences into the open. Samuel made objectionable remarks against Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. He accused the Minister of ignoring his request to sanction a road project and of visiting his constituency without informing him.

Though many viewed the episode as a minor issue, leaders at Gandhi Bhavan believe it reflects deeper political differences within the party.

Apart from these developments, the AICC constituted a coordination committee in March this year to improve coordination between the Telangana Congress and the State government. The committee was formed after complaints over poor coordination among Ministers, MLAs, party cadre and legislators at the grassroots level.

There were reports that the committee’s formation had widened the gap between the party organisation and the State government. However, the TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud dismissed the reports as baseless speculation.