Telangana Congress set to get new team by May-end

Hyderabad: Nearly two and a half years after Congress came to power, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is all set to get a new team of working presidents and the campaign committee chairperson, among others, by May-end. Though there is talk that even a cabinet reshuffle and filling up of a vacant berth is also on the cards, AICC sources said this is a crucial issue and may take more time than expected.The AICC leadership might shift its focus to Telangana once it is done with formalities in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, the election results of which would be announced on May 4.Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and AICC in charge of the state Meenakshi Natrajan are likely to be invited to New Delhi around May 6 to discuss and finalise the working presidents.Even chief minister A Revanth Reddy is likely to be invited to the national capital, but sources said he is not inclined for a reshuffle at this stage. "There is a lot of pressure to fill up the remaining two vacancies in the cabinet. If AICC insists, the CM may fill up one and leave another to be filled up before the GHMC elections. A reshuffle, if taken up, will be taken up only in the second or third quarter of 2027," a source said.A senior AICC leader told TOI that the party high command might agree to appoint three working presidents, one each from Madiga community (SC), Lambada community (ST) and minority community (Muslim).However, the Telangana Congress leadership is seeking four or five working presidents and has informed the party high command that it is essential to ensure social justice, balance the caste, district and other equations.Mahesh Kumar Goud confirmed to TOI that the appointment of working presidents, a few vice-presidents, a couple of district committee chiefs and secretaries was expected to be completed by month-end.The new team of working presidents would most likely have new faces replacing the old team, of which B Mahesh Kumar Goud is already the TPCC president and MLC, Mohammed Azharuddin is a minister, T Jagga Reddy is likely to be convinced to lead the campaign committee, and J Geetha Reddy and M Anjan Kumar Yadav might be given other posts. The present campaign committee chairman Madhu Yaskhi Goud is likely to be sent to AICC or given an adviser post in govt.