HYDERABAD: Signals emanating from Delhi an extended two-hour meeting between the Congress high command and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the summoning of senior members of the state Cabinet as well as senior AICC functionaries, and murmurs of feedback reaching the national capital regarding the performance of some ministers — hint at important changes in the state government.
The fact that the three ministers who were sworn in on Sunday haven’t been allotted portfolios yet is being seen as a pointer in this direction.
On Tuesday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal were involved in intense discussions with the chief minister.
While the outcome of these deliberations was not made public, it can be safely assumed that they involved portfolio allocation for new ministers and key state party matters.
Following the discussions, the AICC reportedly summoned two senior Telangana Congress leaders — Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy — for further consultations.
Uttam arrived in Delhi along with his wife Padmavathi Reddy, who is also an MLA. She is seen as a contender for the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president post. Party sources indicated that discussions may have focused on appointments to the TPCC. A similar meeting is expected on Wednesday to discuss governance issues in Telangana, particularly with local body elections approaching.
AICC general secretary Meenakshi Natarajan is said to have cut short her scheduled programme to travel to Delhi, according to sources.
At present, the chief minister and several ministers hold multiple portfolios. Sources say that the AICC may relieve them of some of this load.
According to sources, the high command is weighing the political fallout of a major reshuffle, considering how such changes may alter the balance within the state government.
A senior party leader, insisting on anonymity, said the high command had received complaints from various quarters, including MLAs, about the performance of some ministers. The possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle had not been ruled out, the leader added.
Revanth holds several portfolios, including Home, Education, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, General Administration, Scheduled Castes Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Dairy Development, Tribal Welfare, Minority Welfare, Skill Development, Mines and Geology, along with other departments that are yet to be allocated.
