Hyderabad, June 08, 2025: After a prolonged wait of nearly 18 months, the Congress government led by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy finally expanded its cabinet on Sunday in a grand ceremony at Raj Bhavan. Three legislators—Adluri Laxman Kumar (Dharmapuri, SC-Madiga), Vakiti Srihari (Makthal, BC-Mudiraj), and Gaddam Vivek Venkataswamy (Chennur, SC-Mala)—took the oath as ministers. The swearing-in ceremony was administered by Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma.
The event, which commenced at 12:19 PM at Raj Bhavan, was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Assembly Speaker G. Prasad Kumar, and state ministers including Tummala Nageswara Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao, Damodar Rajanarsimha, Ponnam Prabhakar Goud, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Danasari Anasuya, and Konda Surekha. Also present were the state’s Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, DGP Jitender, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, several MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and other prominent figures.
Focus on Social Justice
Since the Congress government took office on December 7, 2023, six of the 18 ministerial positions remained vacant. In this expansion, the government prioritized social justice by inducting representatives from the SC (Mala), SC (Madiga), and BC (Mudiraj) communities. Party sources stated that this move aligns with Congress’s commitment to social equity, strengthening democratic representation by including diverse social groups. However, no additional representation was given to the Reddy community, as four Reddy ministers are already part of the current cabinet.
Chief Minister’s Congratulations
Following the ceremony, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took to social media platform X to congratulate the new ministers. “Heartfelt congratulations to Shri Vivek Venkata Swamy, Shri Adluri Laxman, and Shri Vakiti Srihari on taking up their responsibilities as new ministers,” he posted. He also extended his best wishes to Dornakal MLA J. Ramachandra Naik (Banjara), who is set to assume the role of Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Anticipation Over Portfolios
The portfolios for the new ministers are yet to be assigned. According to Raj Bhavan sources, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is likely to consult with the AICC leadership in the coming days to finalize the allocation of departments. Currently, the Chief Minister holds key portfolios such as Home, Education, and Municipal Administration, some of which may be assigned to the new ministers, fueling speculation among political circles.
Political Context
Since the formation of the Congress government, the cabinet expansion has been a much-anticipated event, with several legislators and community leaders vying for ministerial berths. The inclusion of three new ministers from marginalized communities reflects the party’s strategy to balance regional and social representation, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive governance.
This expansion marks a significant step in strengthening the Revanth Reddy-led administration as it aims to deliver on its promises of development, welfare, and equitable representation for all sections of Telangana’s society.
