In a historic first, the Telangana Cabinet moved its meeting out of Hyderabad on Sunday, convening in Medaram to finalise several major state projects and greenlight the long-awaited municipal elections. Presided over by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in the heart of Mulugu district, the Cabinet decided to move quickly on polls for 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations where terms have already expired.
Following the meeting, Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Seethakka, and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy confirmed that the elections will cover nearly 3,000 wards and divisions. The move comes just days after the government finalised the reservation lists for various categories.
The Cabinet also turned its attention to long-term infrastructure and religious tourism. Plans were approved to develop a massive temple circuit stretching from Basar to Bhadrachalam, with a detailed consultancy report expected by mid-February. Looking even further ahead, the government decided that development for the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu would focus on permanent structures rather than temporary fixes. On the urban front, the state allocated ₹2,787 crore for the Hyderabad Metro Phase-II, while continuing discussions on the government's plan to take over Phase-I from L&T.
The choice of Medaram as a venue was deeply symbolic. The village is home to the Sammakka-'Medaram Jatara, a massive tribal festival that the Chief Minister has vowed to elevate to the status of the Kumbh Mela. Reddy has said his government will conduct 'Medaram Jatara', the world's biggest biennial tribal festival, on the lines of the 'Kumbh Mela'.
As part of 'Medaram Jatara' or 'Sammakka Saralamma Maha Jatara', tribals worship tribal folk goddesses Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma. The festival will be held from January 28 to 31 in Mulugu district.
The jatara is a historical event which symbolises courage transformed into divinity, he said, invoking Sammakka and Saralamma who led a revolt against the Kakatiya dynasty.
The chief minister recalled that he embarked on a 'padayatra' from Medaram on February 6, 2023, with a resolve to dethrone the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government.
After the meeting, Reddy dedicated several new development works at the tribal shrine to the public, noting that these stone structures and facilities were completed in a record 100 days.
Reddy grew nostalgic during the cultural events, recalling how he started his ‘Padayatra’ from this very spot back in February 2023 with the goal of unseating the BRS government. "I consider it my good fortune to develop Medaram," he told the crowd, framing the "People’s Government" as a direct result of the blessings he received at the shrine.
Also read: Telangana CM enrols for leadership programme at Harvard
Follow us
