Cong struggles to accommodate Muslim face in State cabinet

Hyderabad: Even as the pressure mounts from different quarters on Telangana Congress to accommodate a Muslim face in the cabinet, the PCC leadership continues to struggle to zero in on a leader who could not only remain loyal, but also fetches maximum votes in the upcoming General elections.

With two MLC positions remaining vacant and will have to be filled by nomination (Governor quota), there is already huge lobbying within the party for grabbing the seats. However, as the present Ministry has several portfolios yet to be assigned to the Ministers, there remains scope that some key portfolios will be handed over to new ones, who will have to become members of the Legislative Council within months. Besides key portfolios like Home Ministry, the Minority Welfare represented by someone from the Minority community remains to be handed over.

According to sources, the issue has to be addressed before the General elections, as directed by High Command. During the latest PAC meeting held on December 18 besides preparedness for Lok Sabha polls the issue of Ministry was also discussed. The Chief Minister and PCC chief A Revanth Reddy also briefed the issue to K C Venugopal, AICC secretary (Org) on December 19. In case of Minority face to be accommodated in the State cabinet, the names of party contestants in the recent Assembly polls including Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Mohammed Feroz Khan, cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin are being heard, besides a few others.

Given the fact that Shabbir Ali the senior most and being former Minister his name is prominently heard. The PAC convenor who ‘sacrificed’ his constituency Kamareddy to Revanth remains a close aide of the latter and hopeful of getting a key portfolio like Home Ministry.

However, he faces stiff opposition from top leaders from erstwhile Nalgonda and Khammam districts who are already in the cabinet and has reportedly shown preference for Feroz Khan's candidature, as he is a Hyderabad local and owing to his fierce stance against the AIMIM. Amongst others who are forcefully lobby is Zafar Javed PCC senior vice president and educationist from Hyderabad.

The Congress party which continues to lure the AIMIM to become partner in case fails to realise the goal may also field Feroz Khan from Hyderabad Parliamentary seat in the General Elections. Despite losing the contest in Assembly elections, Feroz Khan is credited for giving a tough fight to Nampally’s AIMIM MLA Majid Hussain.

Those who are arguing that the candidate who has lost the election should not be considered are also pushing the names of others like former Sangareddy MLA, Jagga Reddy for consideration for the MLC post.