Delhi/Hyderabad: TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud on Sunday made it clear that he would not be joining the State Cabinet as a minister, stating that the party high command would take the final call on any Cabinet reshuffle.

Interacting informally with mediapersons in Delhi, Mahesh Kumar Goud said efforts were under way for a Cabinet reshuffle and reiterated that the high command’s decision would be final in the matter. He also said that priority was being given to BCs in the appointment of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents.

Mahesh Kumar Goud participated in the Maha Dharna held at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, he alleged that the BJP was weakening autonomous institutions and had turned the Election Commission of India (ECI) into a “pocket institution”.

The TPCC chief said Rahul Gandhi had given clear directions to strengthen the Congress party in Telangana during the recent tour undertaken by party leaders, including Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, along with him. Responding to a query, Mahesh Kumar Goud expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in the next elections. He claimed that the BRS had no future in the State. Questioning the party’s prospects, he asked why BRS leader Kavitha had left the party if it had a future.

He further alleged that BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao was incapable of running the party and claimed that senior leader T. Harish Rao would split the BRS. He accused KTR of managing the party through social media, asserting that while he had money, he lacked the strength and public admiration that party founder K. Chandrashekar Rao enjoyed. He also opined that the BJP would never come to power in Telangana.

Mahesh Kumar Goud said that despite Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s extensive campaigning on attracting investments and jobs, investors continued to look towards Hyderabad. He asserted that Hyderabad’s appearance would change completely over the next three years and that the city would emerge as the number one city in the country. He added that the city’s landscape would be transformed through the proposed Future City project and claimed that investments were flowing in from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

The TPCC chief also stated that there would be no problems for Telangana due to SIR.