Hyderabad: With the tenure of several corporation chairpersons set to end this month and next, a quiet tussle is unfolding within the Telangana Congress, with many incumbents seeking a second consecutive term while a new batch of aspirants presses for an opportunity.The demand comes at a time when the party leadership is preparing for a fresh round of appointments to state corporations and boards. Several chairpersons argue that they sacrificed their electoral ambitions in the 2023 assembly elections at the behest of the party leadership and should therefore be given another two-year term.Their case is rooted not only in political loyalty but also in future electoral considerations. Many believe retaining chairperson posts and the accompanying protocol status would help them remain politically relevant and strengthen their grassroots presence ahead of the 2028 assembly elections, especially with constituency boundaries expected to change following the proposed delimitation exercise.Sources said chief minister A Revanth Reddy is likely to hold discussions soon with AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud to finalise the next round of appointments.However, party circles are abuzz with speculation that a majority of the existing chairpersons could be replaced by leaders who played an active role in strengthening the party during panchayat and municipal elections.Against this backdrop, incumbent chairpersons are urging the leadership to assess their performance before taking a decision. They contend that factors such as their work in the field, coordination with local MLAs and contribution to party activities should be considered while deciding on reappointments.Several of the current chairpersons were accommodated in corporations after missing out on Assembly tickets. Engala Venkatram Reddy, who had aspired to contest from Parkal in both 2018 and 2023, was later appointed chairman of the Kakatiya Urban Development Authority after the party fielded Konda Surekha and Revuri Prakash Reddy.Similarly, Patel Ramesh Reddy, who was considered for the Suryapet seat before veteran leader R Damodar Reddy was chosen, was subsequently appointed chairman of the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation. Janga Raghava Reddy, an aspirant for the Warangal West ticket, was later named chairman of Telangana OILFED after the party nominated N Rajender Reddy.But aspirants waiting in the wings are unconvinced. “Those who sacrificed their assembly seats have already been rewarded with corporation posts. Now it is our turn. If they want to contest elections, let them seek assembly tickets instead of holding on to these positions,” said a Congress leader seeking a chairperson post.
