17 new ministers in Naidu’s cabinet

*No space for several seniors

*Saradhi, Anam and Vasamsetty achieve success

*Hopes on Speaker, Chief Whip positions

Patibandla Srinivas ([email protected]) 

Amaravati: June 12: As many as 17 MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) including the TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP were elected for the first time for the Council of Ministers. Now Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu selected the 17 MLAs who do not have experience in ministerial positions for his cabinet.

Dr Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy (SC Mala), Anita (SC Madiga), Gummadi Sandhya Rani (ST), TG Bharath (Vysya), BC Janardhana Reddy, Ramprasad Reddy (Reddy), Nimmala Ramanaidu, Kandula Durgesh, Pawan Kalyan, (Kapu), Nadendla Manohar, Payyavula Keshav, Gottipati Ravi (Kamma), Satya Kumar (Yadava), K Srinivas (Turpu Kapu), Anagani Satya Prasad (Gowda), Vasamsetty Subhash (Setty Balija), Savita (Kuruba) have got a position in the cabinet the first time. Nadendla Manohar served as a Speaker in the previous Congress government. Payyavula Keshav is also one of the most senior members of the Assembly but he became the cabinet minister for the first time.

Surprisingly several MLAs got placed in Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet without expectations. Gummadi Sandhya Rani (ST), TG Bharath (Vysya), BC Janardhana Reddy, Ramprasad Reddy (Reddy), Vasamsetty Subhash (Setty Balija), Savita (Kuruba) and Kandula Durgesh were selected for cabinet positions. 

Indeed, several senior leaders like Kuna Ravi Kumar, Kala Venkata Rao, Palla Srinivasa Rao, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju, Y Sujana Chowdary, Kanna Lakshminaryana, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, A Madhavi Reddy are aspirants for ministerial positions. Interestingly, the BJP has taken only one cabinet berth. Still, there is space for inducting one more MLA from the NDA parties, especially the BJP.

Besides, several leaders Kolusu Paradha Saradhi, Vasamsetty Subhash and Anam Ramnarayana Reddy joined the TDP from YSR Congress and they got minister berths in the cabinet. Paradha Sardhi’s selection surprised the cadre in Krishna district.

He joined the TDP a few days before the election process began. Party cadre wished Gorantla to become cabinet minister but he lost the chance under the caste combinations. Anam Ramnarayana Reddy has a strong political background but Somireddy is a senior leader and he fought against the YSR Congress in Nellore District. Now there is a debate about who would get the Speaker’s position.