AP CM Kiran Kumar Reddy drops five ministers

Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh’s new Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday formed a 39-member council of ministers on the expected line, dropping five ministers.

The two loyalists of former Congess MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy– Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose–, besides P R Reddy, a rival of Kiran Kumar, were dropped from the new set of ministers, who were administered the oath of office and secrecy by state Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhawan.

senior minister Gade Venkata Reddy was also among the five to have been ignored.

To lure the Jagan loyalists, the Kiran Kumar government inducted Jagan’s uncle Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of late CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy, into the cabinet. He represents the state legislative council.

Among the 11 new faces seven are fresh to be ministers for the first time.

Senior leaders K Jana Reddy, D L Ravindra Reddy, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy and P Shankar Rao returned to the cabinet.

Earlier, Kiran Kumar entered the state Secretariat for the first time at 9.52 am on Wednesday, also on astrological significance, after taking charge as the chief minister on Nov 25.

Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers including a deputy chief minister at Raj Bhavan at 10.13 am, the auspicious time set by the astrologers.

The cabinet formation has assumed greater significance in view of the resignation of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy from the Congress party.

Jagan also quit as Member of Parliament and his mother Vijayalaxmi as member of the assembly to protest the alleged attempts of the Congress leadership to divide their family.

Jagan accused the party leadership of wooing his uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy with a ministerial post to create fissures in the family.

The Chief Minister is also reported to be still hopeful of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) joining the government.

The PRP, having 18 legislators in the 294-member assembly, on Monday rejected the Congress’ offer to join the cabinet but assured it of outside support, if necessary.