Telangana Cabinet expansion: A calculated move towards social justice
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy gave the final touches on Saturday (June 7, 2025) night on what appears to be a politically astute, yet socially balanced reshuffle, since the all the three new Ministers are from the marginalised communities.
The expansion underscores Revanth Reddy's 'social justice formula', which he has consistently advocated since assuming office. The decision to induct three Ministers from downtrodden castes, including one from the Mudiraj community, aligns with the Congress's larger social narrative and follows in the wake of the recent caste survey conducted by the government.
Ponnam Prabhkar from the Goud Community and Konda Surekha from Munnuru Kapus, two strong OBC communities (Konda Surekha is a Padmashali but her husband is a Munnuru Kapu) have already been accommodated in the initial Cabinet formation. The addition of a Mudiraj Minister now brings balance among the dominant Backward Classes.
Notably, for the first time in Telangana's political history, four Ministers from Scheduled Castes (SCs) will serve simultaneously in the Cabinet, a record, especially when the Speaker of the Assembly also belongs to the SC community. This is being seen as a direct reflection of Rahul Gandhi's influence, pushing the party toward greater representation for the marginalised.
However, the expansion is not without its political friction. Three berths remain vacant, with Minorities and Scheduled Tribes (STs) still awaiting representation. The move has left Reddy leaders, traditionally powerful in Telangana politics, on the sidelines, caught in a power tussle between Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and P. Sudershan Reddy.
The three vacancies are directly related to the party's dilemma in choosing one among them. P Sudershan Reddy, a Congress veteran worked in Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy's Cabinet in the combined State. His name was pushed hard by the CM Revanth Reddy with the high command.
Rajgopal Reddy, in particular, is likely to feel betrayed, as his return to Congress from the BJP before the elections was reportedly conditional upon a Cabinet berth. Even the party high command was in his favour, but the challenge was to balance the equations. His brother Komatireddy Venkata Reddy is already in the Cabinet and so is N. Uttam Kumar Reddy — both from the combined Nalgonda district. Another Minister from the same district and that too from Reddy community looks near impossible in the Cabinet structure.
Ironically, G. Vivek Venkatswamy, who joined the Congress alongside Rajgopal Reddy, has made it into the Cabinet. Vivek's inclusion, though beneficial in optics and outreach, given his media influence and his father G. Venkataswamy's legacy, may trigger accusations of dynasty politics. His brother G. Vinod, is a sitting MLA, and his son, G. Vamshi Krishna, is an MP, raising eyebrows within the party.
Another notable omission is Prem Sagar Rao from Adilabad, a loyalist who held the party's flag high in northern Telangana when most of the leadership switched sides to BRS or BJP between 2014 and 2024. His exclusion suggests that loyalty alone does not guarantee the reward.
First-time faces
All the new entrants are first-time MLAs, symbolising a push for fresh blood in the government. While this bodes well for generational change and grassroots connection, it also reveals the influence of Revanth Reddy, who had his mark in the selection.
The careful balancing of caste identities, combined with political consolidation, points to a strategic repositioning by the Congress in Telangana. The move signals to voters that the party is serious about social justice, while also subtly laying the groundwork for the 2029 battle.
Minority and STs await their chance
With Minority and ST representation still pending, and Reddy leaders restive, this expansion is likely just the beginning of a broader political evolvement. Whether this bold social justice experiment will yield long-term gains or internal discord will depend on how Revanth Reddy manages party expectations, governance performance, and caste equations in the months ahead.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
42 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Congress to hold strategy meet on July 15 for upcoming Parliament session
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of top party leaders on July 15 to finalise strategy for the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, which is expected to be stormy with the opposition raring to raise several issues like EC's special intensive revision in Bihar and Operation Sindoor. Sources said the Parliamentary strategy group meeting would be attended by the Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, besides the deputy leaders in both houses and the chief whips and whips of the party. The meeting will be chaired by Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence and will also be attended by some senior leaders who are part of the strategy group. The government has announced that the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 21 and continue till August 21, a week longer than planned earlier, signalling a heavy legislative agenda. The sources said the Congress is likely to take up the issues of special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar being carried out by the Election Commission (EC) ahead of the assembly polls. It has joined several opposition parties in challenging the SIR in the Supreme Court and senior Congress leader and lawyer Abhishek Singhvi is arguing the case. The Congress wants the SIR to be scrapped, alleging that it is "unconstitutional" and is aimed at disenfranchising around two crore voters in the state. The Congress is also likely to seek answers from the government on what it claims were "lapses and losses" during Operation Sindoor and the circumstances that led to the cessation of hostilities following US President Donald Trump's claims of mediation in the India-Pakistan conflict to avert a nuclear war. The government has rejected Trump's claims with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling him, during a phone call last month, that India has never accepted mediation and would not ever accept it in future. The INDIA bloc parties have been demanding a debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor -- the strike on terror sites in Pakistan-controlled areas by the Indian armed forces in response to the April 22 massacre by terrorists in Kashmir. The issue of US tariffs against India is also likely to be taken up during the discussions, besides the state of the economy, prices and unemployment. The issue of impeachment of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court is also likely to come up as the notice for moving a motion for his removal is also pending before the Rajya Sabha Chairman. The Congress has objected to certain remarks by Justice Yadav which it alleged are "communal" and not expected from a person holding such a position. Once the strategy on issues that the party wants to raise in Parliament is finalised, the Congress will speak to other opposition parties to evolve a joint plan of action for the Monsoon session, the sources said. The longer duration of the session comes amid the government's plans to bring in key legislations, including one to facilitate the entry of the private sector in the atomic energy domain. The government is planning to amend the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act and the Atomic Energy Act to implement the announcement in the Union Budget to open up the nuclear sector for private players. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Don't fight over language, respect all: Ashok Gehlot on Marathi-Hindi row
Mumbai: Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday, during his visit to Mumbai, called for respecting every language and religion, stressing that fighting over linguistic differences is regressive and unnecessary. Gehlot's comments come in the wake of the ongoing controversy in Maharashtra surrounding the imposition of Hindi in schools and a series of violent incidents involving the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whose workers were seen assaulting non-Marathi-speaking individuals for not conversing in Marathi. "Knowledge is power. There's nothing wrong with learning any language -- you must learn languages. There should be no restrictions when it comes to language. Some people know up to five languages," Gehlot told reporters. Recalling changing societal attitudes, Gehlot added, "We were also against English when we were younger, but now the times are different. In these new times, English has become important, so we are teaching our children English. Hence, it is wrong to fight over languages. People should respect every language and every religion." The controversy erupted after the Maharashtra government issued, and later withdrew, two government resolutions that proposed making Hindi a compulsory third language in Marathi and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. The move sparked strong reactions from the Opposition, public backlash, and protests by regional outfits like the MNS. Additionally, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray faction) and Congress also slammed the government for "imposing" Hindi on the Marathi-speaking state. Amid intense public backlash and Opposition protests, the Maharashtra government has scrapped two government resolutions (GRs) that sought to impose Hindi as a compulsory third language in Marathi and English-medium schools for Classes 1 to 5. However, the ruling Mahayuti coalition insists the decision has only been suspended temporarily and will be revisited after an expert committee submits its report.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Tried to kill me': Mob attacks Telangana ex-Cong MLC's office, gunman fires in air; lawmaker blames Kavitha's Telangana Jagruthi
Suspended Congress MLC Teenmaar Mallanna's gunman opens fire and Mallanna (Right) NEW DELHI: Suspended Congress MLC Teenmaar Mallanna on Sunday alleged that an attempt was made on his life when a group of protesters, allegedly affiliated with Telangana Jagruthi, at the instigation of BRS MLC K Kavitha , in response to his comments about her. As the protesters were forcefully trying to enter Mallanna's Medipally office, his security guard fired into the air. Defending the guard's action, he claimed that those who stormed his office tried to snatch his gunman's weapon and open fire at him. He said a formal complaint, along with evidence, has been submitted to the police, PTI reported. In a video going viral, the security guard could be seen firing from the small square hole in the door to disperse the group of protesters. In another video, the security guard firing upward to disperse the crowd, while several protesters were seen engaging in physical confrontation with office staff inside the building. Mallanna called for the termination of Kavitha's Legislative Council membership, citing her alleged role in "instigating a murder attempt." He firmly said that he would remain undeterred and persist in his efforts to advocate for the advancement of backward classes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Đây có thể là thời điểm tốt nhất để giao dịch vàng trong 5 năm qua IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Initial reports indicate that Telangana Jagruthi members, angered by Mallanna's statements, forced their way into the premises and damaged office furniture. The situation escalated when they reportedly attacked staff members, leading the security personnel to discharge his weapon in the air as a defensive measure, a senior police official informed PTI. 'Tried to kill me by snatching gun, stole digital video recorder': Chintapandu Naveen Chintapandu Naveen, known as Teenmaar Mallanna, said that when he was hearing the grievances of the public in his office, the workers of Telangana Jagruthi, family members of Kalvakuntla Kavitha, attacked him. "They attacked with stones. rods, of the workers (of Telangana Jagruthi) tried to kill me by snatching the gun from the people got stole the Digital video is not an attack on me but on the two crore OBCs living in Telangana..." he told ANI. Fasiuddin, who claimed to be an eyewitness, said that he was inside the office when 15-20 people of Telangana Jagruthi workers came and attacked them. According to him, 10-15 staff members have been seriously injured. They were attacked with sticks. Kavitha urges Legislative Council chairman for review, asks 'Would you shoot at them for protesting?' Meanwhile, Kavitha approached Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, submitting a memorandum that highlighted "inappropriate and defamatory comments" made by Mallanna against her during a Sangareddy district meeting. She requested Sukhender Reddy to direct the matter to the Council's Ethics Committee for review, according to PTI. In her media interaction, Kavitha expressed her concerns about being targeted by Mallanna without provocation. She contested his behaviour, stating that his backward class status does not grant him liberty to make unwarranted statements. Regarding the planned peaceful demonstration by Telangana Jagruthi activists against Mallanna's statements, she questioned the use of force against the protesters. "Would you shoot at them for protesting?" she enquired. She called upon chief minister A Revanth Reddy to take swift action and ensure Mallanna faces arrest. She cautioned that inaction would lead women across Telangana to conclude that the CM endorses Mallanna's statements. She indicated her intention to file complaints about Mallanna's comments with both the Telangana State Women's Commission and the National Commission for Women.
