With the much-anticipated induction of Andhra Pradesh BJP president and Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha member K. Haribabu into the Union Cabinet not materialising, the BJP cadres were a disappointed lot.
While Mr. Haribabu himself had reached New Delhi on Saturday evening along with his family members, many leaders also went there later expecting the induction.
However, party circles said he did not get any information about inclusion in the Cabinet.
Some of the confusion was attributed to the scrolling run by regional channels and some national channels also picking it up. Release of details of his political career in Visakhapatnam also added to the anticipation.
“We are disappointed that there is no representation to leaders from Telangana as Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya had been dropped,” BJP City President M Nagendra, who reached Delhi in the small hours of Sunday, said.
BJP Ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet Kamineni Srinivas and P Manikyala Rao and BJP leader Ch Ramakotaiah were among those who rushed to Delhi.
However, party leaders hope that as the JD(U) and the AIADMK did not join the Cabinet, there would be another reshuffle and Mr. Haribabu would get an opportunity.
Former MLA S. A. Rahaman said there was disappointment and confusion among people on why he was denied a berth after the intense talk that he would be accommodated.
The general feeling was that the State was deprived of representation and to that extent development would suffer, the former VUDA Chairman said.
However, he was confident that there would be another expansion to accommodate allies left out and Mr. Haribabu would surely get an opportunity.
Nonagenarian activist and president of the common cause forum Praja Spandana C.S. Rao termed the development as unfortunate and gross injustice to Andhra Pradesh in general and North Andhra in particular. “He is a highly educated man who works for development in an unbiased manner and I am sure that after the Prime Minister’s return from the BRICS summit he will be rewarded,” Mr Rao said.
The former IES officer was particular that the MP should become Minister to achieve Railway Zone for State with Visakhapatnam as headquarters as it would create a lot of employment opportunities.
