HYDERABAD: Union minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy is likely to be rewarded for the party’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where it doubled its 2019 tally by winning eight seats. Party sources say that Kishan, currently the Union minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region, will be given a prominent portfolio.
Since the BJP might allot only one Cabinet minister and two MoS positions to the state, competition is fierce. There is also tough competition for the party state president post as not all senior leaders can be accommodated in the ministry.
Further, organisational elections for the positions of both the national and state president are due in July, generating considerable interest in Telangana. If Eatala Rajender, elected by a margin of more than 3.9 lakh votes from Malkajgiri — the constituency with most voters in the country — is not accommodated as a minister, in that case, there are good chances that the BC leader might be given the post of state party president, BJP sources said. However, some in the party say that ‘outsiders’ will not be chosen for the post and believe that only those who have served the BJP loyally for a considerable period of time will be chosen.
M Raghunandan Rao, elected from Medak Lok Sabha segment, is one such leader, having served the party for around a decade. Having won from the BRS stronghold that once sent Indira Gandhi to Lok Sabha, he could well be expecting a reward in the form of an MoS position.
Party general secretary and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind, both elected for the second consecutive time, are also likely to be eyeing an MoS post. But both BC leaders hail from the backward Munnuru Kapu community, as does party Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman.
Speculation is that only one leader from the Munnuru Kapu community will be accommodated, leading to intense competition.
With the BJP having won from Adilabad (ST) segment for the second time in a row, the party might also look to accommodate Godam Nagesh in the ministry.
Senior leader and party vice president DK Aruna, elected from Mahbubnagar — Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s home seat — is also said to be eyeing a ministerial position. But if Kishan Reddy is given a spot in the Cabinet as expected, then there might be no space for another Reddy leader in the ministry, with the MoS positions likely to go to BC and ST leaders.
Konda Visweshwar Reddy, elected for the second time as an MP from Chevella, has said that he was not interested in a ministerial post as he wanted to focus on his constituency and spend more time with the people there.