Adilabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLAs who have been aspiring for ministerial berths in the next Cabinet expansion are mobilising the support of the other MLAs, minister Allola Indrakran Reddy and senior leader Venugopal Chary.
Khanapur MLA Ajmera Rekha Naik who is one of the aspirants offered a silver crown (Kiritam)to Mr Indrakaran Reddy and senior leader S. Venugopala Chary to impress them. News is that Mr Chary worked for the victory of Ms Rekha Naik in the Assembly elections.
It was a surprise to see Ms Naik offering ‘Kiritam’ to Mr Reddy and Mr Chary at a constituency meeting recently. Ms Naik is making an all-out effort to get the ministerial berth, following the Chief Minister Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s statement that two women MLAs would be inducted in the state Cabinet this time.
There was no woman minister in the first Cabinet of the TRS government and the party faced lot of criticism from the opposition and women organisations. However, it is not clear whether a ministry would be given to Ms Satyawati Rathod of Warangal or Ms Naik from the Lambada community in the women’s quota.
Kova Laxmi of Asifabad being an Adivasi, was a strong contender for the ministry in the TRS’s first Cabinet but she did not get the ministry. Ms Laxmi has been hoping that she would be inducted into the Cabinet this time under ST and women quota.
But, Ms Kova Laxmi had lost the last election to Congress candidate Atram Sakku with just 176 votes. Meanwhile Mr Sakku recently announced that he would join the TRS party soon. Sources have stated that Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna may not get the ministry if it was given to Rekha Naik from the Old Adilabad district.
However, Mr Ramanna is a strong contender for the ministry as he belongs to the largest community ‘Munnuru Kapu’ in the state. Mr Ramanna was denied a ministry in the first Cabinet formation. People are closely watching as to who will be given Cabinet berth in the second ministry in addition to Mr Allola Indrakaran Reddy.
The other news making the rounds in political circles is that TRS senior Reddy leaders are rallying behind Mr Indrakaran Reddy eyeing future contracts and other personal work getting done in the changed political scenario.
However, Mr Godam Nagesh is confidently campaigning in the villages and constituencies for the Lok Sabha elections. TRS party high command is also exploring other options of fielding Mr Atram Sakku or Ms Kova Laxmi as party candidates for the Adilabad MP seat.
Khanapur MLA Ms Naik’s husband Mr Shyam Naik is also trying for the TRS party MP ticket.
