The much expected cabinet expansion in Telangana State is now likely to be held only after the budget session of the State Assembly.
According to informed sources Chief Minister K.Chandtashekar Rao has differed for the moment expansion of his cabinet and concentrate in strategizing defection of legislators from the opposition parties, especially from the Congress and Telugu Desam.
It might be recalled that speculations were rife about a imminent cabinet expansion before the commencement of the budget session of the State Assembly beginning from November 5. The present strength of the cabinet including the Chief Minister is 12 and there is scope for adding six more members into the ministry. Since the Chief Minister and also some of his senior cabinet colleagues are over burdened with too many subjects, KCR wanted to go in for expansion of his team. Another compelling need for him to think of adding more members to his ministry was to effectively counter any onslaught of the opposition in the ensuing Assembly session.
As it is the TRS government is bogged down with numerous issues like power crisis being faced by the state, water problem including sharing river waters with the neighbouring AP State, waiver of farm loans, reimbursement of scholarships to students. etc. As if this was not enough the reported suicides by the farmers due to power and water shortage has only added woe to the TRS government.
The TDP and Congress parties tried to exploit the apathy of the Telangana government and tried to push the ruling TRS to the wall by unleashing verbal attacks day in day out. The opposition parties also tried to tighten the screws on the government by organizing dharnas and rallies in the name of protecting the interests of the suffering farming community. What is more the TDP despite being aware of the power crisis in Telangana state tried to create further problems to the TRS government by addressing letters to the Krishna River Water Board demanding stoppage of power generation in Srisailam.
Since it was not only obligatory but mandatory for the Telangana Government to hold the Assembly session, Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao was aware that the TDP and Congress would try to put the government on the mat on various issues concerning the state, especially with regard to the power shortage and the farmers suicides. Thus to ably counter the opposition onslaught in the Assembly, KCR thought of expanding his ministry before the commencement of the legislature session.
However KCR seemed to have decided to keep his ministry expansion on hold at least till the completion of the Assembly session. One of the reasons for postponing the cabinet expansion, according to informed sources, is that apart from too many aspirants in the ruling party for ministerial berths KCR seemed to have not found effective and capable leaders who could give a boost to his government. In fact he seemed to have felt that the ensuing budget session of the Assembly could be utilized to judge the performance of his legislators in countering the opposition attack in the House.
Thus the Chief Minister has allotted some key subjects to some of his cabinet colleagues as additional charges during the Assembly session. Based on the performance of his present ministers, the Chief Minister is expected to expand his cabinet besides reshuffling the portfolios of some. It is also not ruled out that KCR might even think of dropping those ministers who have not come up to his expectations. Informed sources also disclosed that KCR was keen on inducting Thummala Nageshwar Rao from Khammam who had defected from the TDP and might allot him the Home portfolio.
Apart from ministerial berths the Chief Minister might use try to dangle as a carrot corporation posts to attract fense sitters from the Congress and Telugu Desam. (NSS).