Revanth, Bhatti Leave For Delhi: Cabinet expansion, Lok Sabha polls on agenda

Hyderabad: Will the Congress government go in for Cabinet expansion ahead of the Lok Sabha elections? This speculation is making rounds in the Congress circles here as Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy along with Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu left for Delhi on Monday evening. The Chief Minister and his team during their two-day stay in Delhi will meet the AICC leaders and discuss the issue of finalization of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

Party sources said the Congress is likely to follow ‘social justice’ in the allotment of party tickets to the aspirants for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. CM Revanth Reddy, who is also leading the party in the State as PCC President, began exercise to finalise the candidates in consultation with the party high command.

During his meeting with the AICC high command, Revanth is expected to discuss the political situation in the state and the outcome of the constituency-wise survey reports on the winning chances of the party.

As the number of aspirants is more, sources said the party, apart from considering their winning chances, will also go in for social engineering. There is a feeling that the number of leaders from the Reddy community are on the higher side at present. Hence, it wants to ensure that potential candidates from the BC, Velama and Kamma communities are given tickets in the Lok Sabha polls. It is said to be considering fielding at least two or three BCs. The party feels that the Kapu community also needs to be given a priority as their representation was nil in the Assembly elections.

Revanth Reddy is said to be holding talks with some senior Kapu leaders from the BRS and BJP and inviting them to join the party before the Lok Sabha elections. Former GHMC mayor Bonthu Rammohan from the Kapu community had joined the Congress and is a strong contender for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat.

Apart from this, the CM-delegation will also meet Union Ministers Nirmala Seetharaman and Nitin Gadkari to seek funds for the ongoing schemes.