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Inordinate delay: Congress struggling to expand Telangana cabinet 

The Congress government in Telangana has been postponing its cabinet expansion for eight months now. Despite repeated assurances, the induction of new ministers has been delayed for months. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and other key leaders are frequently traveling to Delhi to consult with the high command, only to return and suggest that the process is almost complete.

Most recently, another round of talks regarding the cabinet expansion took place in Delhi on Thursday. CM Revanth Reddy met with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary KC Venugopal to discuss the issue. Also present were TPCC’s newly appointed President Mahesh Kumar Goud and Congress strategist Sunil Kanugolu. Sources indicate that the meeting involved an in-depth discussion on the cabinet composition, taking into account factors such as social representation, seniority, and district-level considerations.

Following the formal discussions, further deliberations reportedly continued during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence in Delhi. With six vacant positions in the Telangana cabinet, the leaders debated whether to fill all the positions or to proceed with only partial appointments. There is growing speculation within Congress ranks as to whether these discussions will finally result in the long-awaited cabinet expansion or lead to another delay.

Additionally, it has been reported that CM Revanth Reddy attempted to secure appointments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his Delhi visit. However, sources claim that his efforts were unsuccessful. 

Allegedly, the Chief Minister had hoped to frame his trip as an official visit by meeting with the Prime Minister and Home Minister, but no appointments were granted.