HYDERABAD: While the long-awaited expansion of the Telangana Cabinet has been largely welcomed within the Congress, it has triggered a fresh round of political discussion within both the ruling party and the broader political landscape in the state.
The feeling within the party is that a genuine attempt has been made to ensure social representation by accommodating SC and BC legislators in the Cabinet. A large section of the Congress leadership has expressed satisfaction, describing the distribution of Cabinet berths along community lines as a conscious move designed to preserve the party’s traditional support base among SC and BC communities. Insiders said that they expect this to yield electoral dividends in the forthcoming local body and municipal elections.
Party leaders maintain that the Congress has balanced social equations despite intense lobbying from several senior MLAs hopeful of securing Cabinet posts. The high command prioritised its broader strategy of equitable representation over individual aspirations, they say.
They also express optimism that the Cabinet expansion will energise the party cadre at the grassroots level. The leadership hopes that this sense of inclusion will translate into voter support during the upcoming local elections.
However, beneath the surface, discontent simmers. A number of aspirants, particularly senior MLAs and former ministers, are said to be disappointed at being overlooked. Murmurs of dissent are being heard. There is speculation that the decision to keep three Cabinet positions vacant is itself part of a broader strategy, possibly to quell unrest or maintain leverage for future political adjustments.
Seeds of discord
Some newly appointed ministers have reportedly confided to their close aides that the Cabinet reshuffle was executed without prior consultation or warning, which could potentially sow discord between incumbent ministers and the fresh inductees, especially at the district level.
Beyond the question of social representation, concerns have also emerged regarding regional balance. Leaders from erstwhile Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts have raised objections over the lack of representation. In contrast, regions such as Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar appear to have received disproportionate attention.
For the Congress state president Mahesh Kumar Goud and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the challenge now lies in managing these internal rifts. Analysts say that while attempts to mollify disappointed leaders have already begun, the durability of such peace remains uncertain and could pose a risk to party unity ahead of the elections.
Meanwhile, senior leaders from both the BJP and BRS admit in private that the Cabinet reshuffle was a tactical move aimed at suppressing internal factionalism ahead of local polls. A BRS leader pointed out that the Congress emphasis on social justice, as reflected in the Cabinet reshuffle, mirrors similar strategies employed during previous regimes, including BC caste censuses and surveys. “However, such moves may not suffice to overcome growing anti-incumbency and public dissatisfaction with the governance and unmet promises,” the BRS leader said.
While the impact of this Cabinet reshuffle, both within the Congress and across the wider political landscape, remains to be seen, the undercurrents of discontent suggest that there is turbulence just beyond the horizon.