The newly elected Rajya Sabha members from the state Chiranjeevi and Renuka Chowdary are tipped to get berths in the next cabinet expansion by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Chiranjeevi is mostly likely to get a Minister of State in the union cabinet as per the understanding reached before the merger of PRP with Congress Party.
However, Renuka’s case is likely to be more complicated. While the party high command is very much in favour of inducting her into the cabinet, there might be stiff opposition from the other Kamma claimants.
Kavuri Sambasiva Rao and Rayapati Sambasiva Rao are two senior most MPs from the state, who have been complaining that the party has been less than fair with them in giving them portfolios.
Being from the Lok Sabha, both have better claims to be Ministers and likely to protest at being humliated once again, in case Renuka were to be inducted.
Another problems the party command has to tackle is the fact that Telangana will remain under-represented in the centre, with just Jaipal Reddy heading a cabinet rank portfolio.
Unless, the party leadership treats Renuka as representing Telangana!
