Congress senior leader K Jana Reddy’s letter to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary KC Venugopal has been creating uproar within the party. Though he did not recommend any names or opposed any one and only sought representation from Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad districts, his intention is said to be otherwise.
Presently there are six vacancies in the state cabinet, and two of the existing ones are said to be replaced. Presently, party sources felt six names have been finalised, keeping two more vacancies As of now, the names of Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Chennur MLA Vivek Venkata Swamy, Makthal MLA Vakiti Srihari, and Bodhan MLA P Sudarshan Reddy have reportedly been finalized.
However, Jana Reddy’s letter specifically requesting representation from two politically key districts has led to a new discussion in party circles. There are already two ministers from the Reddy community from Nalgonda district, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.
Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy is insisting that if Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, brother of Venkata Reddy is given a ministerial post, his wife Padmavathi should also be given one. Devarakonda MLA Balunayak is increasing the pressure to provide representation to STs.
Since Venkat Reddy is already a minister, if Rajagopal Reddy is included in the cabinet, Rahul Gandhi has reportedly opposed keeping both brothers in the same cabinet. However, party leaders are trying to convince him that they had promised some people before the elections that they would give them cabinet posts if they come to power, and that’s why Rajagopal Reddy and Vivek were on this list.
In this context, many Congress leaders are suspecting that the real intention of Jana Reddy’s letter was to check the clout of both Uttam and Rajagopal Reddy. Malreddy Rangareddy from Ibrahimpatnam and Rammohan Reddy from Parigi in Ranga Reddy district are lobbying for a cabinet berth. From Hyderabad city Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender, who won from BRS and joined the Congress, is also lobbying extensively.
Jana Reddy’s letter is said to be forcing the party high-command to realize that earlier there used to be six ministers from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district in the Congress cabinet, but now there is no representation. Moreover, in view of forthcoming GHMC elections, such a representation makes the party more visible.