HYDERABAD: Uncertainty continues to grip the ruling Congress in the state over the much-anticipated Cabinet expansion, appointments to nominated posts, and the formation of a full-fledged TPCC.
Despite a high-level delegation — including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and PCC President B. Mahesh Kumar Goud—visiting New Delhi and holding discussions with the party high command nearly 10 days ago, there has been no indication of progress on Cabinet expansion.
Adding to the pressure, several Congress MLAs from the erstwhile Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts, along with leaders from the Scheduled Caste (Madiga) community, have also made their way to the national capital to meet AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders. However, the high command continues to maintain a guarded stance. Amid growing unrest among ministerial aspirants, senior party leader and former minister K. Jana Reddy wrote a letter to the central leadership, advocating Cabinet representation for MLAs from Rangareddy and Hyderabad. His plea, however, has gone unanswered.
According to sources, the party leadership may be waiting for the anticipated Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka this May before initiating a similar exercise in Telangana. But the prolonged delay is reportedly causing discontent among party leaders. The recent appointment of Meenakshi Natarajan as AICC in-charge of Telangana had initially raised hopes among aspirants, who expected imminent Cabinet changes. However, with no developments following her appointment, those hopes have now turned into disappointment.
Adding to the dissatisfaction are several leaders who had unsuccessfully sought MLC tickets and are now looking forward to nominated posts. Sources reveal a growing frustration among them over the TPCC’s failure to independently make decisions regarding such appointments, leaving the matter entirely to the central leadership.
Further compounding the issue is the delay in filling several vacant positions within the TPCC, including working presidents, general secretaries, vice presidents, and other key organisational roles. The indecision, party insiders say, is impacting morale and may hurt the party’s image at the grassroots level.
Moreover, party sources indicate that the organisational appointments are being strategically withheld to accommodate those left out of the Cabinet expansion. However, internal factionalism continues to complicate matters, with reports suggesting that some current ministers are strongly opposing the inclusion of rival MLAs in the Cabinet.
It is also believed that certain ministers are indirectly encouraging their loyalist MLAs to make frequent trips to Delhi—moves seen by the high command as disruptive to party unity. Until internal consensus is reached among the state leadership, the high command appears unwilling to move forward with Cabinet expansion.
This prolonged stalemate has triggered concerns of a looming internal “cold war,” with leaders anxiously waiting to see how the high command will balance regional and community-based representation, all while trying to maintain party cohesion.