VIJAYAWADA: Readying a master stroke for the next Assembly elections, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday picked up 17 ministers (from the new Cabinet of 25), from BC, SC, ST and minority communities.
Giving priority to BCs and SCs in coastal districts is a shrewd move considering the possible alliance of opposition parties to consolidate the traditional BC and SC vote banks to YSRC.
Meanwhile, for the first time, Reddy has noticed defiance from outgoing ministers and unhappy legislators, who missed the bus during the compilation of the new Cabinet.
Interestingly there is no representation to Kamma and Raju social groups in the Cabinet. They have figured in every Cabinet of Congress and Telugu Desam governments.
Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu is a Kamma as is Kodali Venkateswara Rao (Nani), who used to counter Telugu Desam outbursts.
Cabinet 2.0 features 11 ministers from the earlier one while 14 are new faces.
Reddy has given huge importance to BCs and SCs in the coastal districts, which is the first time that the two communities are getting such a priority in the State Cabinet. Usually priority is given to Rajus and Kapus in the coastal districts, including West Godavari, but as the coastal districts were once TD bastions, he has given importance to BCs keeping in mind the future elections.
Meanwhile, Reddy has honoured the promise he made in June 2019 by revamping his Cabinet halfway through his tenure.
Those from the earlier Cabinet, who could not retain their positions, are expected to be given responsibilities in the party so that they can make use experience ahead of the 2024 elections.
In 2019, Reddy’s Cabinet of 25 ministers had 56% from SC, ST, OBC and minorities. He has increased their representation to 68% now.
In the previous Cabinet, there were five SCs, one ST, seven OBCs, one minority and 11 from other castes. This time, the representation has been increased by 17 in which 11 are BCs, five SCs, one ST and eight OCs.
Out of the 11 ministers who have been retained, four are SCs, four BCs, two OCs and one Muslim. Representation for women, which Reddy has always focussed on, has gone up by one. Four women make the new Cabinet while it was three earlier.
The ministers who retained berths in Cabinet 2.0 include Sidiri Appalaraju, Botsa Satyanarayana, Chelluboina Venugopalakrishna, Gummanooru Jayaram (all BCs), Pinipe Vishwaroop, Adimulupu Suresh, Taneti Vanitha and Narayana Swamy (all SCs), Buggana Rajendranath, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy (both OCs), Amzath Basha (Muslim minority)
The new ministers in Cabinet 2.0 are P. Rajanna Dora (ST), Dharmana Prasada Rao (BC),
Gudivada Amarnath (OC), Buddi Muthyala Naidu (BC), Dadishetti Raja (OC), Karumuri Nageswararao (BC), Kottu Satyanarayana (OC), Jogi Ramesh (BC), Ambati Rambabu (OC), Meruga Nagarjuna ( SC), Vidadala Rajini (BC), Kakani Govardhan Reddy (OC), Roja K Selvamani (OC) and Usha Sricharan (BC).
The swearing-in ceremony of Cabinet 2.0 will be held at 11.31 am in the open place opposite the Secretariat at Velagapudi.
