The results of the Assembly elections in five states have pushed the already beleaguered Congress further on the back foot.
Except in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF is set to come to power, there is little for the grand old party to celebrate.
According to party sources, these results could have a direct impact on the plans of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to expand and reshuffle his Cabinet. In all likelihood, the exercise may be postponed for a few more weeks.
While initial reports suggested that a Cabinet expansion could happen soon, the latest political developments at the national level are expected to delay decisions related to Telangana.
However, whenever the expansion takes place, the Congress high command is likely to largely endorse Revanth Reddy’s recommendations.
At the same time, there is reported dissatisfaction within the party over the performance of some existing ministers, raising the possibility of dropping a few and bringing in new faces.
At present, there are two vacancies in the Telangana Cabinet, and more openings could arise if some ministers are removed.
One of the vacant berths is likely to be allotted to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, with leaders such as Balu Naik and Ramachandra Naik said to be in the race.
Notably, Ramachandra Naik was earlier considered for the Deputy Speaker’s post, but the appointment is still pending.
The selection for the remaining berth has generated considerable interest.
With no representation from the erstwhile Nizamabad district in the Cabinet, there is speculation that a leader from the region may be accommodated.
Senior MLA and former minister P Sudarshan Reddy, who is currently serving as an advisor with Cabinet rank and attends Cabinet meetings as a special invitee, is once again being considered for induction.
Meanwhile, there is also speculation about Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud being inducted into the Cabinet.
However, the Chief Minister recently indicated that Goud may continue in his current role, highlighting their joint leadership in bringing the party to power in the state.
Among other aspirants, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy is reportedly hopeful of securing a ministerial berth, while Mancherial MLA Prem Sagar Rao, who was offered the Civil Supplies Corporation chairman post with Cabinet rank, is yet to take charge.
Several others, including Malreddy Rangareddy, Ram Mohan Reddy, and Madan Mohan Rao, are also lobbying for inclusion.
At the same time, internal discussions within the Congress suggest that one or two ministers could be dropped due to dissatisfaction over their performance.
In such a scenario, replacements are likely to be chosen from the same social category to maintain balance. There is also speculation about a possible reshuffle of key portfolios.
The Home portfolio, in particular, may be reassigned to a senior minister, while minor changes in other departments are also being considered.
However, concerns over administrative disruption and confusion due to large-scale changes may limit the extent of the reshuffle.
