Cabinet snub fallout: Congress faces pressure after disgruntled MLAs Sudarshan, Rajagopal, Prem Sagar Rao turn up heat

Hyderabad: While MLAs Gaddam Vivek, Vakiti Srihari and Adluri Laxman Kumar were being sworn in the Telangana Cabinet, All India Congress Committee in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, along with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud and minister Poonam Prabhakar, rushed to meet MLA Sudarshan Reddy and also appease Rajagopal Reddy and Prem Sagar Rao.

The three of them who were in the main contender list for Cabinet posts and had lobbied in Delhi with the Congress party were not given the posts.

Miffed for not being included, the three were told to be very upset and the senior Congress leaders were sent to meet them.

No Reddy in Cabinet expansion

While the swearing in was going on, there was already murmuring in the corridors that Reddys are being sidelined by the Congress party. MLAs Gaddam Vivek, Vakiti Srihari and Adluri Laxman Kumar were sworn in as ministers on Sunday afternoon.

The oath of office and secrecy was administered by governor Jishnu Dev Varma at a formal ceremony held at Raj Bhavan.

The induction of the three leaders is seen as an effort by the Congress government to strike a balance among various social and regional representations ahead of key governance milestones.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by chief minister A Revanth Reddy, senior Cabinet colleagues, party leaders and senior government officials. A senior Congress leader said, “The meeting with MLAs Sudarshan Reddy, Rajagopal Reddy and Prem Sagar Rao is a courtesy visit to explain the stand of the party. These are important leaders, and they have been assured that they have a place in the party. Presently, the party is working out a balance in the caste equations. The recent caste census have shown that these equations will be acknowledged in the community only if they are granted. Today’s Cabinet expansion is an actionable response from the Congress party.”

Future prospects

Congress leader Rajagopal Reddy was a strong contender despite stiff opposition from the Congress cadre in Telangana. His name is not on the list, which shows that the Congress party wanted to stick to its commitment to social justice.

“There is always a place in the future. Presently, the demand is to bring those who are not properly represented in the political space to get a standing. Their standing will improve the standing of their community. These three appointments are in line with the vision of the Congress party,” the Congress leader said.

Future expansions

There are three seats in the Cabinet that are vacant, and that is the hope which is being kept alive by the senior Congress leaders.

A source explained, “The Cabinet is not complete. The total strength is 18 members. So far, 15 have been appointed. There will be further appointments, and senior leaders will be given a chance.”

Muslim representation

The Muslim representation in the Telangana Cabinet has been a major demand, but the Congress senior leaders in Delhi said, “There is not a single elected Muslim leader in Telangana from the Congress party. With no elected leader from the people, positions in the cabinet are not possible.” The Muslim leaders have been made chairmen of various committees.

Will the message of social equality work?

The government is presently working on balancing the social equation in the state. A senior Congressman explained, “Telangana, after its caste census, has shown a picture to the country of what the social fabric is made of. While that works in election rallies for representation but when it comes to governance, it is mostly the upper class who are represented in high numbers. Hence, how the bureaucracy will work within this changing dynamic has to be seen. Similarly, how the different communities react and what will be the impact and how it will manifest are some of the things to watch out for.”