HYDERABAD: The much-anticipated expansion of the state Cabinet is likely to take place before the year ends, confirmed well-placed sources in the government. However, they refused to provide clarity on the number of vacancies to be filled in the Council of Ministers led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
The Congress government will complete its first year in office on December 7, with six of the 18 Cabinet berths vacant. Through the year, the chief minister has been warding off pressure from veteran and first-time MLAs eyeing berths.
According to party sources, the Congress high command is considering P Sudharshan Reddy, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Malreddy Ranga Reddy, N Balu Naik, G Vivek Venkataswamy, Vakiti Srihari and Amer Ali Khan for the vacant berths. It is learnt that TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud and MLC Balmoor Venkat are also trying to make it to the Cabinet.
If matters had proceeded as per plans, the Cabinet expansion would have taken place during Dasara. In fact, at one point of time, it was rumoured that the Governor’s office was requested to make arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony following the chief minister’s Delhi tour.
However, the exercise got delayed owing to elections for the Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assemblies.
Additionally, there was no consensus among the top leadership, sources said. In the light of the ongoing caste survey, there are demands within the party to give opportunity to various communities. The present Cabinet has no representation of major communities like Lambada, Mudiraj, Muslim and others.
The party has reserved the posts of Deputy Speaker and chief whip for MLAs who couldn’t be accommodated in the Cabinet. Additionally, the Congress is also preparing the ground to offer major corporations like the TGSRTC and Civil Supplies to the MLAs who do not make it to the Cabinet. It may be mentioned here that the ruling party has promised to fill all the vacant nominated posts to various state-run corporations. The CM is likely to get approval for filling these posts. Party leaders, especially those who were not given the ticket to contest elections, are eagerly awaiting for the appointments of nominated posts.