VIJAYAWADA: Paving the way for the reconstitution of the Jagan Mohan Reddy cabinet, all 24 ministers tendered their resignations on Thursday. The new team will be sworn-in on Monday. At least five to six of the resigned ministers are likely to be inducted into the new cabinet.
The minister submitted their resignations to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after a two-hour council meeting. The resignations would be forwarded to Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan for his assent.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Perni Nani) said, “The entire Cabinet has resigned. The CM had informed the ministers that some of them would be re-inducted in the Cabinet while others would be given party positions.”
Disclosing more details, Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Kodali Sri Venkateswararao (Kodali Nani) said the chief minister would re-induct at least five to six ministers. According to sources, going by the caste and regional equations, four ministers, including Taneti Vanitha, Seediri Appalaraju, Audimulapu Suresh, G Jayaram, Buggana Rajendranath and Kodali Nani would be re-inducted.
After the Cabinet meeting, the ministers were beaming while leaving the Secretariat. “Everyone was jubilant. We all knew we have to resign one day or the other. The chief minister also had announced his decision when he took the reins of the State itself,” Perni Nani said.
Highly placed sources said Jagan raised the issue of resignations during the concluding 30 minutes of the meeting and assured them of assigning proper posts in the party. “You will once again be honoured with a Cabinet berth, if the party wins the 2024 election,’’ he reportedly said, adding that the opposition TDP would be wiped out gradually if it kept out of power in the next elections.
Sources also said Jagan decided to maintain a three-day gap between the resignation of the ministers and the swearing-in ceremony of the new team to gauge their mood. It has been learnt that he wanted to observe the reaction of the ‘miffed’ ministers and the impact of their unhappiness on the party or the government.
On the other hand, the aspirants are trying very hard to be a part of Jagan’s new team. The chief minister is likely to choose his colleagues considering the caste and regional equation besides, appointing one leader each from the 26 districts.
The CM, once again, is likely to have a team with five deputy chief ministers -- one each from SC, ST, BC, Minority and Kapu communities-- and also give importance to Reddy and Kapu communities. Kodali Nani is likely to be retained under the Kamma quota.
Among those in the race are Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, who defeated TDP scion Nara Lokesh, from Mangalagiri, Kurnool MLA Hafeez Khan under minority quota, RK Roja from Chittoor, Samineni Udaya Bhanu and others. It is also learnt that a woman would hold the Home portfolio again.