While there is still a lot of suspense on whom Congress high command will pick as the chief minister of Telangana, there is a parallel thread on the cabinet ministers as well. There is a long list of aspirants for the ministerial berths in Telangana Congress now.
There are 16 cabinet berths in Telangana, apart from the chief minister and deputy chief minister posts and Congress top brass is said to be scratching their head on whom to pick for these posts amidst the long list of aspirants.
Congress got majority seats in Mahaboobnagar, Khammam, Nalgonda and Warangal. A chunk of the cabinet posts will go to the experienced ministers and multi-term MLAs form these segments. It is heard that newcomers will not get a place in the cabinet this time around.
Vivek and Prem Sagar Rao from Adilabad, Sudharshan Redddy from Nizamabad, Ponnam Prabhakar and Sridhar Babu from Karimnagar are said to be the favorites to get the cabinet berths. There’s a chance that MLC Jeevan Reddy might also get a post.
Shabbir Ali lost the election but the Congress might consider sending him to the council and then give him a cabinet berth, given that there is a shortage of minority leaders in the party. Damodara Raja Narasimha is almost confirmed for a cabinet post.
Tummala Nageswara Rao is the front runner for the speaker post, it seems. Mahaboobnagara’s Jupalli Krishna Rao and Vamsi Krishna are also in the race. Ranga Reddy’s Gaddam Prasad and Malreddy Ranga Reddy have also put their hands up.
The veteran duo of Komatireddy and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy are confirmed to get the berths. Uttam Kumar Reddy or his wife Padmavati Reddy will get the berths, it seems. The final call on the candidature for the cabinet berths will be taken shortly with the government formation not too far from now.
