Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday announced on the floor of the Assembly that he would induct two women ministers in the coming days.
Replying to a discussion on the vote-on-account Budget, the Chief Minister said the party had great respect for women and, in fact, it was with women’s support that the TRS had come to power a second time in the state.
Mr Rao was reacting to a request by former minister Sabita Indra Reddy of the Congress to give place to at least one woman in his Cabinet, as he had not given them a berth in his first term.
Stating that he would accommodate two women in the Cabinet, Mr Rao explained that as per the Constitutional obligation, the state can have 17 ministers. He could induct six more ministers, two of whom would be women.
He said that he had nominated a woman from his party among four candidates for the MLC elections.
Following the announcement there is growing speculation in the party on who will be the lucky woman minister. Names that are floating as probables include Ms Padma Devender Reddy, Ms G. Sunita Mahender Reddy and Ms Rekha Naik.
It is being rumoured that the Chief Minister could appoint one woman minister from the ST community and another from the other castes.
