All eyes on Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet

Finance portfolio is likely to go to Buggana Rajendranath Reddy.  Jagan is expected to announce his cabinet a couple of days before his swearing-in ceremony on May 30. 
YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during a press conference at YSRC office in Vijayawada. (Photo | P Ravindra Babu, EPS)
YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during a press conference at YSRC office in Vijayawada. (Photo | P Ravindra Babu, EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: All eyes are now on CM-designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet. Jagan and his close confidantes are now working on the formation of cabinet, which will be a mix of seniors and juniors. Caste equations will also be considered in constitution of the cabinet. It is likely to comprise 25 members, one from each Lok Sabha segment. 

Finance portfolio is likely to go to Buggana Rajendranath Reddy.  Jagan is expected to announce his cabinet a couple of days before his swearing-in ceremony on May 30. 

Several aspirants are lobbying for the cabinet berths through the close confidantes of Jagan.   According to party sources, Jagan may choose two or three members each from the districts with more number of YSRC MLAs and one member each from the districts with less number of party legislators. 

It is learnt that Jagan will keep a couple of cabinet berths vacant for some leaders, whom he promised a place, but they did not get elected as MLAs. Such leaders will be taken into the cabinet later after nominating them as MLCs.

Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, who defeated Nara Lokesh in Mangalagiri is likely to get a cabinet berth. During his election campaign in Mangalagiri, Jagan announced that RK would be inducted into his cabinet if the party wins.
   Jagan promised two cabinet berths for Guntur. Another aspirant for cabinet berth is Ambati Rambabu, a Kapu leader who defeated Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao in Sattenapalli. Another probable candidate is Kona Raghupati from Bapatla. Jagan had promised a cabinet berth for Brahmin community and Raghupati may be the choice. 

From Krishna district, Jagan may opt for Kolusu Pardhasaradhi, a BC, and Velampalli Srinivas, a Vysya. East and West Godavari districts, where the YSRC performed well, are likely to get four or five cabinet berths. Among the aspirants are  Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy and D Raju from East Godavari and Tellam Balaraju from West Godavari.

In women’s quota, Jagan may induct either RK Roja (Nagari in Chittoor) or Kangati Sridevi (Pathikonda in Kurnool) into his cabinet. Jagan made a promise to include Sridevi into his cabinet earlier. 

From the minority community, keeping the tradition of his father YSR, who included a Muslim MLA from Kadapa into his cabinet, Jagan is likely to give cabinet berth to Azmath Basha Shail Bepari. As the CM hails from Kadapa, only one MLA from the district may be given a chance, sources said. 

If Jagan wants to include another leader, G Srikanth Reddy of Rayachoti maybe the other choice. Apart from Roja, another leader from Chittoor who may find a place in the cabinet, is Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy from Punganur.

As there are several aspirants from Nellore. Jagan will have a tough choice. Senior leader Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy and Anam Ramnarayana Reddy and Anil Kumar Yadav are the contenders.

From Prakasam district, Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivas Reddy may be the choice. Seniors like Botcha Satyanarayana and Tammineni Sitaram and Dharmana Prasada Rao (Vizianagaram) may get a chance. 
From Visakhapatnam, the frontrunners are Gudiwada Amarnath (Anakapalle) and Avanthi Srinivas (Bhimili). Both are Kapus. Another probable candidate is Buri Mutyala Naidu hailing from Velama community, YSRC sources said.

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