HYDERABAD: By all accounts, the five-day Delhi tour of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was a fruitful one, with the Congress high command giving him carte blanche, as it were, on Operation Akarsh.
A highly-placed source confirmed that the high command made it very clear to the CM that there should be no scope for the Telangana government to feel threatened, let alone collapse, and that Revanth should do all he can to strengthen it — more or less a green signal that the TPCC president could proceed with welcoming more BRS MLAs into the Congress fold.
If sources are to be believed, the high command indicated to the CM to send to Delhi whoever opposes the entry of BRS MLAs into the party and that the AICC would deal with them.
The high command also made it clear that only “original” Congress leaders would be in contention for Cabinet posts while those who joined the party recently will have to be content with nominated posts. The AICC leadership also deliberated on the next TPCC chief and other important appointments.
Legislators from the erstwhile Nizamabad, Adilabad, Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts, which are currently unrepresented in the Cabinet, will be given berths, according to sources. Eligible aspirants for berths may also be considered for posts like chief whip and deputy speaker in the Assembly, both of which are of Cabinet rank and are accorded the same protocol.
The process of finalising the PCC chief is nearly complete, with the appointment hinging on Cabinet expansion to ensure a balanced social equation, the sources said. They said that if BC and ST leaders make it to the Cabinet, an SC leader will be appointed as PCC chief. Conversely, if the expansion includes SC and ST leaders, a BC leader will be picked to succeed Revanth.
Sources said the AICC and senior state leaders have shortlisted an SC leader, an ST leader and a BC leader for the TPCC president’s post. The final decision will depend on who makes it to the Cabinet. They said that an SC MLA, an ST MP and a BC MLC, all from north Telangana, have been shortlisted
Meanwhile, among the front-runners for Cabinet posts are P Sudharshan Reddy (erstwhile Nizamabad district), G Vivek Venkataswamy (Adilabad), Malreddy Ranga Reddy and Rammohan Reddy from Rangareddy, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy (Nalgonda), V Srihari (Mahbubnagar) and several leaders from Hyderabad.
There are six vacancies in the Cabinet, which are expected to be filled considering social equations: one or two from forward castes, one from the minority community, and three from major BC communities. The chief whip position is likely to go to a Reddy leader not included in the Cabinet, while the post of deputy speaker is expected to be assigned to an SC or ST leader.
The newly joined MLAs may be appointed as corporation chairmen or receive funds for their constituencies. The Congress high command has also reportedly approved the appointment of various corporation chairpersons, as announced before the Lok Sabha elections, and has directed that the remaining nominated posts be filled accordingly.
