Inactive Congress Leaders Regroup Under Vivek
“Vivek has worked with the Congress, BRS, and BJP. Over time, he has built relationships across these parties, and now, as a minister, he is likely to leverage those connections for political gain.”: A senior Congress leader
ADILABAD: Congress leaders, including former MLAs and BRS leaders who had joined the party ahead of the Parliamentary elections, are regrouping following Gaddam Vivek’s induction into the state Cabinet and the replacement of district in-charge minister Seethakka with Jupally Krishna Rao.
Many of these BRS leaders, including former MLAs and ministers who joined the Congress prior to the Assembly elections and remained politically active, are now gravitating toward a Vivek-centric leadership.
Several senior Congress leaders and former BRS members share a longstanding association with Vivek’s late father, G. Venkataswamy, and his sons, Gaddam Vinod and Vivek.
Former minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy, former MLA Rathod Bapurao, Rekha Naik, and contested candidates Shyam Naik, Ravi Srinivas, and Lokabhuma Reddy, though inactive in recent times, appear to have renewed political interest following Vivek’s elevation as minister. These leaders reportedly did not maintain strong ties with former in-charge minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka.
After Vivek's induction, many of these leaders prominently shared photos of their meeting with him on social media, signalling their renewed alignment with the minister. However, some Congress leaders have chosen to keep their distance and avoid public association with him.
Until recently, the erstwhile Adilabad district had no representation in the state Cabinet, despite having four Congress MLAs. Vivek, who was previously focused on the coal belt region, particularly the Chennur Assembly and Peddapalli Lok Sabha constituencies, is now seeking to expand his political influence across the wider Adilabad region.
As part of this effort, Congress leaders in the erstwhile Adilabad district are regrouping and rekindling their ties with the Venkataswamy family.
A senior Congress leader from Adilabad, speaking on the condition of anonymity, remarked, “Vivek has worked with the Congress, BRS, and BJP. Over time, he has built relationships across these parties, and now, as a minister, he is likely to leverage those connections for political gain.”
Meanwhile, some of Vivek’s political rivals within the Congress are closely monitoring his moves following his appointment as minister for labour and mining.