Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Dec 29: The winter session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, beginning on Monday, is set to be one of the most intense and consequential sittings since the Congress government assumed power, with a direct political face-off expected between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Leader of Opposition K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).
After obituary references on the opening day and the likely election of the Deputy Speaker, the House will adjourn from December 30 to January 1 and reconvene on January 2, when full-scale legislative business and debates are expected to unfold.
The Congress government has lined up several major Bills aimed at reshaping urban governance, labour rights and the power sector. The most closely watched among them is the proposed ‘Maha GHMC’ merger Bill, which seeks to amend the GHMC Act to bring 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations — including Shamshabad, Manikonda, Tellapur and Medchal — under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. If passed, the move will expand Hyderabad’s jurisdiction up to the Outer Ring Road and double the number of municipal wards to 300.
Another landmark proposal is the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Bill, 2025, touted as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. The Bill aims to regulate gig and platform workers by mandating registration, imposing a 1–2 per cent welfare cess on aggregator transactions and ensuring algorithmic transparency to prevent arbitrary penalties or termination of workers.
In the power sector, the Cabinet has cleared the framework for setting up a third electricity distribution company. Unlike the existing Northern and Southern DISCOMs, the new entity will exclusively cater to subsidised categories such as agriculture, lift irrigation and Mission Bhagiratha, with the objective of easing financial stress on the existing utilities.
The session is also expected to witness legislative efforts to reinforce the government’s promise of 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies. Following recent Gram Panchayat elections, the Congress is seeking statutory backing to overcome the conventional 50 per cent reservation ceiling.
Beyond legislation, a major political flashpoint will be a white-paper-style debate on inter-state river water sharing. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has instructed ministers to highlight what the Congress alleges were failures of the previous BRS government in protecting Telangana’s interests in the Krishna and Godavari river disputes. The government plans to flag concerns over the Kaleshwaram project’s structural issues and delays in the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi, led by KCR, is preparing a counter-attack. The Opposition is expected to corner the government over what it calls unfulfilled promises under the Congress’ ‘Six Guarantees’, particularly the proposed Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women and the Rythu Bharosa support for farmers, which it claims have not been implemented as promised.
As Telangana closes out 2025, the session is being seen as the Congress government’s attempt to reset Hyderabad’s administrative framework and revamp rural power management. For the BRS, it presents a critical opportunity to regain political traction after recent electoral setbacks. With both Revanth Reddy and KCR likely to lock horns on the Assembly floor, the stage is set for a dramatic and high-voltage session.