Amid the buzz about an imminent expansion in the Telangana Cabinet, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met Governor Jishnu Dev Varma at the Raj Bhavan here on Sunday.
According to an official statement, the Chief Minister met the Governor to greet him on Ugadi, the Telugu New Year.
The meeting lasted for an hour. The Chief Minister is understood to have discussed with the Governor the proposed Cabinet expansion.
Minister for Environment and Forest Konda Surekha, MP Anil Kumar Yadav, Chief Minister’s advisor Vem Narender Reddy, and others were present.
The much-awaited Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after April 4. As the Parliament session is concluding on April 4, the expansion is not likely to be held before that.
The Congress top brass last week gave its nod for the Cabinet expansion. However, reports about probable ministers triggered intense lobbying by certain sections within the party.
MLAs from Madigas, a Scheduled Caste community, have written to the Congress' Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, seeking priority for them in Cabinet expansion.
They are reportedly not happy over reports that Chennur MLA G. Vivek will be inducted into the Cabinet. Vivek, son of senior Congress leader and former G. Venkatswamy, comes from the Mala community.
Similarly, a section of the leaders is opposing the proposed induction of Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy into the Cabinet as his brother Komatireedy Venkat Reddy is already a minister. Some MLAs are opposed to the proposal of having another minister from Reddy community.
The Congress leadership reportedly decided to induct 3-4 ministers. A Cabinet berth each is likely for Reddy, SC, and BC communities.
Government whip Aadi Srinivas is seen as a strong contender from the BCs. Since there is no Muslim representation in the Cabinet, the Congress is likely to induct someone from the community.
Revanth Reddy and his 11 Cabinet colleagues took oath on December 7, 2023. The state can have a maximum of 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister.
Many aspirants of Cabinet berths have been waiting for the expansion for more than a year. Though there have been strong speculations of an expansion after the Lok Sabha elections last year and the Chief Minister visited New Delhi many times, the leadership kept the issue pending.
The Congress party has 65 MLAs in the 119-member state Assembly. Ten MLAs from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also switched loyalties to the ruling party last year.