Balayya Seeks Berth in Cabinet

Anantapur: Aspirants for berths in the state cabinet are many this time, as a large number of seniors, including former ministers, have won the assembly polls from across Andhra Pradesh.

Film star and Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna is learnt to have expressed his desire for a berth in the cabinet. His is a hat-trick victory from the Hindupur assembly segment. Balayya’s supporters are mounting pressure on the party high command to include him in the cabinet.

Including Balakrishna, at least six MLAs are in the race for a ministry from the combined Anantapur district. Telugu Desam has bagged all the 14 seats from the area. Among the contenders for the ministry are former minister Kalava Sreenivasulu of Boya community, Uravakonda MLA Payyavula Kesav who worked as PAC chairman, Rapthadu MLA Paritala Sunitha, who had earlier been minister in 2014, K Venkat Prasad, MLA from Kadiri, and Penukonda MLA Sabitha.

Further, Gummanur Jayaram, who quit YSRC, joined TD and contested from Guntakal, is also in the run for a minister’s post. He was a minister in the YSRC government. Further, BJP senior leader Satyakumar, who won from Dharmavaram assembly segment, is in the race from Satya Sai district.

This many contenders have made It a tough task for Chandrababu Naidu. The only TD MLC from Kadapa is also expecting a berth in the cabinet.

Similarly, competition is tough for cabinet berths from Kurnool, the district from where YSRC has won only two assembly seats. Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, son of former chief minister Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, won the Dhone seat, defeating finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy. He is making serious efforts for a berth. Allagadda MLA Akila Priya is also expecting a minister’s post.

Senior MLAs from Tirupati and Chittoor are also hoping to fit in the bill this time, including TD candidate P. Nani from the Chandragiri seat.