Date:26/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/26/stories/2007042616990100.htm

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YSR to induct 17 into his Cabinet

Special Correspondent

Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman named; board Chairman posts for four

G. Chinna Reddy

Mohd. Jani

G. Kuthuhallamma

HYDERABAD: For the first time in his 35 months in office, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy will be expanding his Cabinet on Thursday by inducting 17 MLAs into the Council of Ministers.

The swearing-in ceremony of these MLAs, mostly his loyalists, will be held at 7.45 a.m. on the Raj Bhavan lawns. Dr. Reddy submitted the list of prospective Ministers to Governor Rameshwar Thakur immediately on the latter's arrival here from Bhubaneshwar on Wednesday evening. The two were closeted for 30 minutes.

The Chief Minister is unlikely to drop any of his 23 Cabinet colleagues from the Ministry, a point amply emphasised by the Congress high command.

It has also been made clear that there will be no Deputy Chief Minister nor will any member of the Legislative Council find a berth. After the expansion, the strength of the Council of Ministers will rise to 41, leaving room for Dr. Reddy to induct more legislators later.

Several party veterans aspiring for a berth have been kept out. Dr. Reddy has sought to pacify a few of them by constituting four Regional Development Boards and appointing them Chairman. They are V. Purusthottam Reddy (Telangana), Gade Venkata Reddy (Coastal Andhra), P. Sambasiva Raju (North Coastal Andhra) and G. Muddukrishnama Naidu (Rayalaseema).

Simultaneously, the Chief Minister has sought to demonstrate affirmative action by naming Ms. G. Kutuhalamma, an MLA from Vepanjeri (SC) constituency in Chittoor district, for the post of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and Mohammed Jani for Deputy Chairmanship of the Legislative Council.