Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to expand his Cabinet by inducting two ministers from Backward Classes on Wednesday at a simple ceremony in Raj Bhavan where Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan will administer the oath of office.
Chelluboyina Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna, YSR Congress MLA representing Ramachandrapuram Assembly Constituency in East Godavari and another party MLA from Palasa, Seediri Appalaraju, are to be inducted during the reshuffle.
Following the vacancy in two Cabinet berths as Deputy CM and minister for revenue, registrations and stamps Pilli Subash Chandra Bose and minister for animal husbandry and fisheries Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao hailing from backward classes, were elected to Rajya Sabha recently, the Chief Minister is filling up the two berths with legislators from the same communities.
Venugopala Krishna belongs to the dominant Settibalija community in East Godavari. He earlier served as Zilla Parishad chairman in East Godavari. He is a staunch loyalist of Jagan Mohan Reddy and a follower of Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
Though the names of Jogi Ramesh, representing Pedana Assembly segment in Krishna district and belonging to Gowda community and Ponnada Satish representing Mummidivaram Assembly segment in East Godavari hailing from fishermen community, did the rounds, it was Venugopala Krishna, whose name has been finalised. Appalaraju is a highly educated person.
Meanwhile, the Governor accepted the resignations of Subash Chandra Bose and Ramana Rao.
The YSR Congress government has given an opportunity to an SC leader and a woman from minority community to get nominated as Member of Legislative Council in Governor’s quota.
Former MP from Amalapuram in previous TD regime Pandula Ravindra Babu, representing SC community, and Maina Jakiya Khanum, from the Muslim community, will be nominated as MLCs. Their names were cleared by Jagan Mohan Reddy. Khanum is a homemaker and her late husband Mayana Afzal Alikhan was market committee chairman at Rayachoti and used to be an active leader in the YSR Congress.
