Hyderabad: Fresh dates are in circulation in TRS circles for the Cabinet expansion, which did not take place on Friday as expected. TRS legislators were sure Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao would expand the Cabinet on Friday. The latest buzz in TRS circles is that the Cabinet expansion will take place on February 3 or 6.
The Assembly’s Budget Session is likely to start in the second week of February and Mr Rao is likely to expand the Cabinet before that.
Those whose names were being considered for Assembly Speaker’s post heaved a sigh of relief after the post went to Mr Pocharam Srinivas Reddy.
Others whose names were being speculated upon included Mr Etala Rajendar, Ms Padma Devender Reddy, Mr A. Indrakaran Reddy and Mr D. S. Redya Naik. Many consider the post as jinxed because MLAs who became Speakers lose the next election.
Now the MLAs are awaiting their turn to get a cabinet post. With Mr Srinivas Reddy becoming the Assembly Speaker, the road is clear for Balkonda MLA Vemula Prashant Reddy to get a Cabinet post.
Mr Rajendar is likely to get a Cabinet berth. Mr Rao wants to give representation to old districts in the Cabinet expansion. That means he might induct eight more ministers into the Cabinet.
Mr Rao himself represents Medak district, as does Ms Padma Devender Reddy who is aspiring for a Cabinet post.
According to sources close to the Chief Minister, if he wants to give representation to all old districts in the Cabinet expansion, Ms Padma Reddy will have to wait for the second phase of Cabinet expansion as the first phase could see a mix of old and fresh faces.
From Karimnagar district Mr Koppula Eswar, from Nizamabad district Mr Vemula Prashant Reddy and from Warangal district Mr Redya Naik may be the fresh faces. For the deputy Speaker’s post, the Chief Minister is considering the names of Ms Rekha Naik and D. Vinay Bhaskar. Balka Suman may get to be the Chief Whip or Whip.
