K.C. Venugopal calls up Rajagopal Reddy as Congress leaders sulk over denial of berths

Telangana Cabinet expansion leads to senior leaders' discontent, Congress reaches out to pacify them for future inclusion.

Expansion of Telangana Cabinet led to the sulking by some senior leaders who were not included, and the Congress party’s senior leadership reached out to them trying to pacify them.

Sources revealed that AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, along with the newly inducted Minister G. Vivek, personally visited Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy at his farmhouse and spent nearly two hours in a closed-door discussion. Ms. Natarajan facilitated a phone call between Mr. Reddy and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, who reportedly committed that he would be accommodated soon as per the promise made while admitting him in the Congress party.

Mr. Reddy apparently explained how he did not insist on the Bhongir MP ticket for his wife and ensured the win of party candidate Chamala Kiran Reddy as promised. Mr. Venugopal is said to have acknowledged it and explained that this expansion was to send the social balance message, and his claims would be considered in the next phase of Cabinet expansion.

According to his close aides, Mr. Reddy has expressed confidence that the Congress will honour its commitment. “If not, I will take a break from politics for the time being,” he is believed to have told his confidants. However, after Mr. Venugopal’s phone call he was confident.

Meanwhile, TPCC president Mahesh Goud and Minister Ponnam Prabhakar met senior leader Malreddy Ranga Reddy, who was also miffed at being overlooked. Mr. Mahesh Goud later told reporters that the party understands the need for higher representation of Hyderabad and Rangareddy legislators in the Cabinet as they comprise nearly 40% of the population.

Earlier in the morning, Ms. Meenakshi and Mr. Mahesh Goud also went to the residence of P. Sudarshan Reddy and Prem Sagar Rao to explain the reasons of the party’s inability to accommodate them.