The recent appointments of Bodhan MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy and Mancherial MLA K. Prem Sagar Rao to key government positions are creating a clearer path for Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy to join the state Cabinet in Telangana. Sudarshan Reddy has been named Government Advisor for the Implementation of Flagship Schemes, while Prem Sagar Rao will chair the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation, both with Cabinet rank.
Both Sudarshan Reddy and Prem Sagar Rao were strong contenders for ministerial roles, just like Rajgopal Reddy. Back in June, when three Cabinet vacancies were filled, all three leaders expressed their disappointment at being overlooked. Sudarshan Reddy, a former Minister in the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Cabinet and a personal preference of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, couldn’t be accommodated previously due to complex social equations that made it difficult for the party high command to include two additional Reddy candidates.
To address his earlier dissatisfaction, Sudarshan Reddy has now been given the influential role of Advisor, complete with Cabinet status and participation in Cabinet meetings, where he will oversee major welfare and development initiatives. Prem Sagar Rao will also enjoy Cabinet status in his new role.
With these two influential leaders now holding non-ministerial Cabinet-rank positions, the field for a ministerial berth has narrowed, making Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy’s entry into the Cabinet seem increasingly probable.
Rajgopal Reddy’s contributions to the Congress party, particularly his defection alongside Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and G. Vivek, were instrumental in boosting the party’s standing before the Assembly elections. Their move signaled a weakening of the BRS and BJP, significantly strengthening Congress under Revanth Reddy’s leadership.
However, despite his crucial role, Rajgopal Reddy was left out in previous Cabinet expansions. This was largely due to his elder brother, Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, already serving as a Cabinet Minister, and another senior leader from the same district, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, also holding a Cabinet portfolio. Accommodating a third Reddy leader from the same district, and especially two from the same family, posed a significant political challenge.
Despite his repeated expressions of discontent, Mr. Rajgopal Reddy has consistently denied any rumors of him leaving the Congress party. He has, however, openly stated that he was promised a Cabinet position when he joined, and expects the party to honor that commitment.
With two Cabinet vacancies still available, and the political landscape now altered by the recent appointments, Rajgopal Reddy’s prospects for a ministerial role appear significantly brighter. The ultimate decision, however, rests with the party’s high command.