Ashok Gehlot May Be Named New Congress In-Charge for Telangana

<p>The Congress high command is weighing a reshuffle in its Telangana leadership, with former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot emerging as the frontrunner to be appointed as the party's next in-charge for the state, according to reports on Monday, September 14.</p>
<p>The position is expected to open up as the current AICC in-charge for Telangana, S. Meenakshi Natarajan, is likely to take a 10-month leave to travel abroad for higher education. Apart from Gehlot, the Congress leadership is also considering senior leaders Mukul Wasnik and Shaktisinh Gohil for the post.</p>
<p>Natarajan was appointed as the AICC in-charge for Telangana affairs on February 14, 2025, replacing Deepa Dasmunsi in the organisational role. Before taking charge, she had been closely involved in the Congress strategy for Telangana and also served as an AICC observer during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.</p>
<p>She is considered close to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and has been associated with the Congress leadership at the national level. Her electoral career includes a Lok Sabha win from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh during the 2009 general elections, where she secured victory by a margin of more than 30,000 votes.</p>