Senior Nellore district TD MLAs eyeing ministerial berths

TD has won all the eight assembly seats in the district, apart from the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is slated to be sworn in as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 12. Soon after, he will be forming his ministry. As the countdown begins, several key leaders from Nellore district have emerged as frontrunners for ministerial posts.

Among them is Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, a former minister and senior TD figure. "Somireddy's triumph against a strong opponent in a fiercely contested election is testament to his political acumen. His previous ministerial experience, particularly in critical portfolios like agriculture, makes him an invaluable asset. Naidu can harness his experience and expertise," says political analyst Dr. Ramana Murthy.

Another prominent figure in the race is Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, a former YSRC leader who joined the TD. He is a six-time MLA and has been the R&B minister under chief ministers NTR and Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and finance minister of K. Rosaiah and N. Kiran Kumar Reddy governments.

Also in contention is Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, another YSRC rebel. He has publicly expressed his ministerial aspirations.

The name generating the most buzz is of Dr. P. Narayana, a close confidant of Naidu. Narayana previously held the municipal administration portfolio in the TD government before 2019. "Narayana's past performance makes him Naidu's top choice," says Dr. Murthy.

A senior TD functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, "During the YSRC's regime, when many TD leaders faced intense pressure and vendetta politics, Narayana and Somireddy stood their ground. They are among the few who consistently rallied support for Naidu and kept the party worker's morale high in Nellore. Such loyalty will not go unnoticed."

Lakshmi Devi, a local political commentator, says a leader from the influential Reddy community is bound to secure a ministerial post from Nellore.