Luck shines on Etala late Monday night

Hyderabad: TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and former minister T. Harish Rao will not find a place in the Cabinet, which will be expanded at 11.30 am on Tuesday.

The undivided Khammam district will find no representation in the Cabinet.

By Monday evening, nine MLAs had received phone calls from the CMO regarding the swearing-in but not Mr Rajendar. The Chief Minister is busy hosting a dinner for the 15th Finance Commission chairman and its members.

Mr Rajendar received a phone call only late in the night, confirming that he would also be inducted on Tuesday.

Mr Rao and home minister Mr Mohd Mahmood Ali are the only two Cabinet ministers and after Tuesday’s expansion the total number of ministers, including the Chief Minister, will reach 12.

That gives Mr Rao the option of inducting six more ministers and there could be another Cabinet expansion after the Lok Sabha elections to fill these vacancies.
The Chief Minister wants Mr Rama Rao to concentrate on party activities and has handed him responsibility of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

There was speculation from the time Mr Rao took oath as Chief Minister for the second time that Mr Harish Rao will not be given a ministerial post this time. His political future will now be known only after the Lok Sabha elections.

On Monday, Mr Rao called the MLAs who are to be inducted to Pragathi Bhavan and told them they are to be given ministerial posts and have to come to Raj Bhavan on Tuesday to take oath. Rama Rao told them not to bring many party workers to the swearing-in ceremony as there will not be sufficient place at Raj Bhavan.