HYDERABAD: The recent visit of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to Delhi has triggered a fresh wave of speculation within Congress circles over a possible Cabinet expansion or reshuffle to accommodate restless aspirants.
With reports suggesting that the chief minister has received the high command’s green signal for the exercise, intense discussions are going on over who will secure ministerial berths and who will be dropped. Portfolio re-allocation, too, seems to be the subject of an animated discussion.
According to sources, several MLAs are being considered for induction into the Cabinet. Among those in the reckoning are Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy (Munugode), Aadi Srinivas (Vemulawada), Balu Naik (Devarakonda), Malreddy Rangareddy (Ibrahimpatnam) and Premsagar Rao (Mancherial). At the same time, there is buzz that two or three existing ministers may be dropped.
Uncertainty also continues over the future of minister Mohammed Azharuddin, as the Governor is yet to take a decision on his MLC nomination, along with that of Professor Kodandaram. The Cabinet has recommended both names for nomination under the Governor’s quota. However, with a new Governor taking charge, the matter is believed to have returned to square one, triggering fresh discussions within the ruling Congress on whether the recommendations will be accepted or rejected.
Two to three ministers may be dropped from Revanth’s Cabinet
It may be recalled that a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court in August 2025 made it clear that its ruling would
not come in the way of nomination of MLCs under Governor quota. It further clarified that the Governor could take a decision in accordance with the ruling of the Telangana High Court.
Senior Congress leaders indicate that a Cabinet expansion or reshuffle could take place any time after the conclusion of the ongoing Assembly session, keeping the political atmosphere surcharged.
Discussions within party circles suggest that at least two to three ministers may be dropped as part of efforts to constitute a full-fledged Cabinet, effectively shutting the doors on future expansion. Sources say that a BC minister may be replaced with Aadi Srinivas, who also belongs to the BC community — Munnuru Kapu. If not, he may be appointed as the chief whip, a post with Cabinet rank. In case a Reddy or another forward caste minister is dropped, Munugode MLA Rajagopal Reddy is said to be strongly staking his claim, citing assurances reportedly given by the party high command at the time of his switch from the BJP to the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections in December 2023.
Lambada leaders eye Cabinet berths
There is also pressure from leaders belonging to the ST (Lambada) community. Present Whip Ramchandra Naik and Devarakonda MLA Balu Naik, both Lambadas, have reportedly urged the chief minister and the party leadership to induct them into the Cabinet under the ST quota, to balance the presence of minister Danasari Anasuya alias Seethakka, who is an Adivasi ST.
However, accommodating Balu Naik from Nalgonda could create complications, as the district already has two ministers — N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. Party leaders are said to be exploring ways to resolve the issue, including addressing differences between the Komatireddy brothers.
Mancherial MLA K Premsagar Rao, too, is lobbying for a Cabinet berth. He was appointed chairman of the Civil Supplies Corporation but has reportedly not taken charge, apparently in anticipation of a ministerial berth.
Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Rangareddy is also seeking a berth, citing seniority and representation from Rangareddy district. Sources indicate he may be considered for the chief whip post.
Interestingly, discussions are also underway regarding the long-pending deputy speaker post, which has remained vacant for nearly two years. If leaders like Rajagopal Reddy, Balu Naik or Ramchandra Naik are inducted into the Cabinet, N Padmavathi Uttam Reddy may be considered for the deputy speaker position.
The key question, however, remains which ministers will be dropped and on what basis — a decision that is expected to be politically sensitive. Sources suggest that two to three ministers could be removed, possibly balancing representation between north and south Telangana, with corresponding inductions from those regions.
There is also talk that the chief minister may reshuffle portfolios, including those currently held by him such as Home and Municipal Administration. While some departments may be reassigned, the MAUD portfolio is likely to be retained by him due to its importance in major initiatives such as the Musi river development, Future City, and other flagship projects like CURE, PURE and RARE.
Overall, the developments have generated significant interest in political circles, especially with two Cabinet positions currently vacant and the possibility of further changes. With the government nearing the halfway mark of its term, leaders are anxiously watching whether the reshuffle will create fresh challenges or bring stability within the party.