Cabinet restructure talk creates buzz in YSRCP

VIJAYAWADA: Energy and forest minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy’s observations on total replacement of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Cabinet very soon created a buzz in the ruling YSR Congress Party.

The minister’s comments on Saturday in Ongole, though made in the context of silencing a section of party workers clamouring for MLC post to a former MLA, led to debate in the party circles for more than one reason, the first and the foremost being the minister’s proximity to the Chief Minister.

The announcement also gained significance because the minister categorically said all the ministers would be replaced which was in contrast to the earlier stand of the Chief Minister himself that a few would be retained.

 “All the ministers on different occasions urged the Chief Minister to postpone the reshuffle at least by another six months because they could not do much during the Covid pandemic other than participating in containment operations,” a minister told this newspaper. We are hoping that reshuffle would be sometime in May next year, he added.

Balineni’s observation of total replacement also puts the focus on veterans like Botsa Satyanarayana and Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy besides the likes of Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, K. Kanna Babu, Kodali Nani and late entrants Ch Venugopalakrishna and Sidiri Appala Raju.

Sources said Botsa made a request to the Chief Minister to continue him in the Cabinet as he would be retiring from electoral politics by the next general election paving way for his son to make political debut. Similarly, the Chief Minister had a special equation with Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, who along with his son, played a crucial role in the party's economic affairs, and is likely to retain him.

Sources also said the Chief Minister had clearly stated in the last Cabinet meeting that several senior leaders should dedicate completely to the party work. He said top priority would be given to organisational strengthening with the support of the team of poll strategist Prasant Kishore.

The Chief Minister will take up MLC polls to fill the vacancies of local body constituencies and the party is all set to capture all seats because of the resounding victory in the local polls. He wanted the party functionaries to take active part in development programmes to be launched on a massive scale.