Hyderabad, March 25 The much-awaited expansion of the Telangana cabinet is likely to be held on April 3 as the Congress high command has given its nod for the exercise.
Four to five ministers are likely to be inducted into the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
According to party sources, two legislators from Backward Classes and one each from Scheduled Caste (SC), Reddy, and Muslim communities may be sworn in as ministers on April 3.
Among the BCs, V. Srihari Mudiraj and Adi Srinivas are said the be the front-runners. Chennur MLA G. Vivek, who is a SC, is also likely to be accommodated.
An industrialist, Vivek is a former MP and runs a Telugu news channel. He is the son of former Union Minister and senior Congress leader G. Venkakswamy.
Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, brother of Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, may also get a Cabinet berth. Names of senior leaders Sudershan Reddy and Malreddy Ranga Reddy are also said to be under consideration.
Since the Cabinet presently has no representation from Muslims, the Congress leadership has reportedly decided to induct a Muslim. Member of Legislative Council Amer Ali Khan is seen as a strong contender.
The Congress leadership gave its nod for the Cabinet expansion after consultations with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Telangana unit President Mahesh Kumar Goud, and AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natrajan in New Delhi on Monday.
The decision on the Cabinet expansion came after taking the opinion of the state unit's core committee which included senior leader and minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal reportedly finalised the list.
Revanth Reddy and his 11 Cabinet colleagues had taken oath on December 7, 2023. The state can have a maximum of 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister.
The party leadership is understood to have decided to keep one to two Cabinet berths vacant.
Many aspirants of Cabinet berths have been waiting for the expansion for more than a year. Though there have been strong speculations of an expansion after the Lok Sabha elections last year and the Chief Minister visited New Delhi many times, the leadership kept the issue pending.
The Congress party has 65 MLAs in the 119-member state Assembly. Ten MLAs from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also switched loyalties to the ruling party last year.
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