Telangana: Priority Shifts to Balanced Cabinet

Hyderabad: Chief Minister-in-waiting and leader of the Telangana Congress Legislative Party A. Revanth Reddy arrived in Delhi on Tuesday night — after the party confirmed that he would serve as Telangana’s second Chief Minister — to discuss the modalities of the Cabinet formation with the party high command.

Sources said that Revanth Reddy also invited the top brass for the swearing-in ceremony at LB Stadium on December 7.

Earlier in the day, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, the team of observers led by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and AICC Telangana incharge Manikrao Thakre had held discussions with N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who were also in the race for the top post in Telangana.

Sources said that with the upper limit of the Telangana Cabinet set at 18, Revanth Reddy would discuss the 17 nominations, balancing seniority and caste equations, given that most MLAs came from Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Khammam and Warangal regions. They also include senior leaders who have won multiple times and served as ministers in previous Congress regimes.

It was learnt that after the decision to elect Revanth Reddy the CLP leader in Telangana, Venugopal held a two-hour meeting with Uttam Kumar and Bhatti Vikramarka at his residence. He reportedly conveyed to the duo that the decision was taken by Kharge and Rahul, asking them to abide by it and assuring to give due priority to senior leaders in the Cabinet.

After the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Bhatti left Venugopal's residence without speaking to the mediapersons, who repeatedly asked them whether they were happy with Revanth Reddy's appointment as the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari on Tuesday instructed officials to make elaborate arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony at LB Stadium on Thursday.

Kumari asked all officials to work in close coordination with other departments. The police were directed to make adequate bandobust, traffic, parking and security arrangements, alongside firefighting arrangements and deploying fire tenders at the venue.

MA&UD officials were asked to undertake cleaning, watering and fogging of the venue, while GHMC officials were told to take up repairs of roads leading to the venue. The health department was directed to arrange fully equipped ambulances, and the energy department was told to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

DGP Ravi Gupta, Hyderabad police commissioner Sandeep Shandliya, Special Chief Secretary Sunil Sharma, principal secretaries S.A.M Rizvi and Shailaja Ramayyar, secretary to Governor Surendra Mohan, GAD secretary Sheshadri, secretary (R&B) Srinivas Raju, commissioner (I&PR) Ashok Reddy and Hyderabad collector Anudeep were among those who took part in the meeting.