Just days earlier, party sources indicated that the high command was considering candidates from each of the SC, ST, BC, Minority, and Reddy communities to fill the six vacancies. However, the inclusion of two MLAs from the SC community came as a surprise to many.
Telangana is the first state in the country to pass legislation for the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes. In line with this policy, the party ensured a balanced representation of both major SC sub-groups—Mala and Madiga—by appointing one MLA from each.
Before this expansion, the Cabinet already included Bhatti Vikramarka from the Mala community and C Raja Narsimha from the Madiga community. If only Vivek had been inducted, it would have created an imbalance between the two groups. To avoid this, the Congress high command included one representative each from the Mala and Madiga communities in the latest appointments.
Srihari’s inclusion is also significant, as the Mudiraj community is one of the most populous among the BCs. His appointment is seen as a nod to the numerical and political strength of this group.
