Hyderabad: Telangana and Seemandhra can lay claim to four ministers in Mr Narendra Modi’s Cabinet that took oath on Monday. The two states can hope to get some “out-of-turn” help in their development agendas once they are divided on June 2.
While Mr Ashok Gajapathi Raju is from Vizianagaram, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, but hails from Nellore in Seemandhra.
The two ministers with Telangana links are Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, who married Parakala Prabhakar and spent a good number of years in Hyderabad.
Prakash Javadekar, who took oath on Monday, was the BJP incharge for AP, and was instrumental in striking the deal with the Telugu Desam.
Mr Venkaiah Naidu spent a major part of his political career in the undivided state and was a legislator here. If, as reported, he gets the urban affairs portfolio, he could be very helpful in building the world class capital for Seemandhra.
He enjoys a close rapport with Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, and had argued strongly for more Central assistance for Seemandhra during the Rajya Sabha debate on the Telangana Bill.
Mr Ashok Gajapathi Raju is expected to get the civil aviation portfolio. If it comes through, he could offer substantial help to build a spanking international airport for Seemandhra, besides upgrading the existing airports and converting Vijayawada and Tirupati as international airports.
