The expansion of the Telangana state cabinet headed by chief minister A Revanth Reddy is likely to take place in a day or two, once the Congress high command gives its green signal to the list of prospective ministers, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Revanth Reddy travelled to New Delhi with a list of potential ministers who could be appointed to the cabinet on Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Chandrababu Naidu also reached Delhi on Wednesday evening and is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The presence of chief ministers of two Telugu-speaking states in the national capital is a coincidence. The two are, however, expected to meet in Hyderabad later this week to sort out pending issues between carved-out Telangana and residual Andhra Pradesh.
On Wednesday afternoon, Revanth Reddy met All india congress committee president Mallikarjun Kharge in the evening and held discussions with him on the cabinet expansion.
“In all probability, the names of ministers to be inducted into the cabinet will be finalised by Thursday. The chief minister, who met state governor CP Radhakrishnan on Monday, already indicated to him about the probable expansion of the cabinet this weekend,” a party leader privy to the development said.
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Meanwhile, former BRS leader K Keshava Rao returned to the Congress fold Kharge describing it as a “worthy homecoming”.
In a post on X, Kharge said: “Worthy homecoming! We welcome senior leader, Shri K. Keshav Rao ji to the Congress party. We are confident that his vast experience in public service will strengthen the Congress party in Telangana.”
At present, there are 11 members in the state cabinet, including the chief minister and there is a scope for including another six ministers. “The vacancies have been lying vacant since December 7, when the Congress government was formed in Telangana. For now, Revanth Reddy may induct four ministers and keep two more berths vacant for a future expansion,” the leader said.
The chief minister might also undertake a reshuffle of portfolios as part of the expansion. “Many important portfolios like home, education, and social welfare are still with the chief minister and they will be allotted during the cabinet reshuffle,” the party leader quoted above said.
Apart from approving the cabinet expansion, the Congress high command is also likely to finalise the new president for Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee in place of Revanth Reddy by Thursday.
Among those who are aspiring for the PCC chief post are: present working president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, former MP Madhu Yashki, AICC secretary A Sampath Kumar, and former Union minister and Mahabubabad MP P Balram Naik.
While Mahesh Kumar and Madhu Yashki are from the OBC community, Sampath Kumar is an SC, and Balram Naik is an ST leader. “Since a leader from the Reddy community is already the chief minister, the party high command might prefer an OBC or an SC or an ST leader as the PCC chief to balance the caste equation,” the Congress leader said.
