Mahesh Goud next TPCC chief?

Hyderabad: The AICC is learnt to have decided to name TPCC working presidentB Mahesh Kumar Goud as the new PCC chief replacing A Revanth Reddy.

Goud is a BC and also a trusted lieutenant of the Chief Minister. An official announcement is expected anytime now. This decision, according to party sources, was taken after several rounds of discussions AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had with CM Revanth Reddy, Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and other senior state leaders.

The party high command felt that it would be appropriate to zero in on Goud who is from Nizamabad in North Telangana in order to maintain political balance between North and South Telangana. It may be mentioned here that Revanth Reddy is from Mahbubnagar in South Telangana.

Among the frontrunners for this key party post were senior leader from North Telangana Madhu Yashki Goud, Mahabubabad MP and ST leader P Balaram Naik and Government Chief Whip A Lakshman from the SC community. However, the party high command accepted Revanth’s suggestion to appoint Mahesh Goud as the Telangana Congress president.

Leaders said the party high command also gave its nod for the expansion of the state Cabinet. Sources said the expansion might take place within a week. Senior Congress leaders and MLAs – P Sudharshan Reddy, Malreddy Ranga Reddy, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Gaddam Vivek, Srihari Mudiraj and Balu Naik are likely to be inducted into the Revanth Reddy’s Cabinet. The six vacant ministerial berths will be filled at one go, leaders said, adding that the CM had finalized the names of his new Cabinet colleagues and submitted the list to party president Mallikarjun Kharge for final approval during his meeting with the latter on Friday.