TPCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Gowda announced that the much awaited cabinet expansion will be taken up after Sankranti. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy while taking oath as Chief Minister in December, 2023 said that his cabinet will be expanded within two months.
He went to Delhi several times to take clearance from the party high-command. But, due to various reasons the party high command seems to be non-committal on this issue. Even he was unable to get an audience of party supreme leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to discuss this issue.
Revanth himself earlier was given several deadlines for expansion of the cabinet starting from Lok Sabha polls, Vijaya Dasami and first anniversary of his government, but was unable to perform. Now, for the first time the PCC chief gave indications about expansion.
It seems, Mahesh Gowda makes this announcement to create enthusiasm among party leaders in view of forthcoming Graduate and Teacher MLC elections. The PCC Chief said that there will be an announcement regarding the graduate MLC candidates soon.
He also revealed that he is in talks with BRS MLAs. Indicating that the party will not field official candidates in Teacher MLC polls, he said that he will support the allied parties in the Teacher MLC elections. He said that the graduate MLC candidate will be announced in two to three days, for which four names are under consideration.
He revealed that the names of Alfors Narender Reddy, Prasanna Harikrishna and former officer Gangadhar are under consideration. He also said that nominated posts in the government will be completed by this month-end. Likewise, he said all the committees in the party will be appointed by the end of the month.
Congress party sources said that though they expected cabinet expansion during the month of December, 2024, it was delayed due to party supremo Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visit and also again in January, 2025 chief minister Revanth Reddy is going on a foreign tour. As a result, many party leaders felt it may not be possible to expand the cabinet before the end of this month.
But unexpectedly, TPCC Chief Mahesh Goud himself has made an announcement on the expansion of the cabinet, which has become a topic of discussion.