Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s mark was clearly visible in the composition of his team of Cabinet Ministers with due care taken to accommodate experienced and articulate leaders.
His team is a blend of seniors and first timers with KCR recognising the services of leaders, who had spearheaded the 13-year-struggle for separate Telangana. While inducting 11 Ministers, representation was given to all the districts except Khammam and Mahabubnagar. There are two Ministers each from Karimnagar and Hyderabad.
In all, the maximum strength of the Council of Ministers in Telangana is 18 including the Chief Minister. With 11 already inducted, there is scope for six more Ministers to be taken into the Cabinet at a later date. A look at the composition of the Cabinet reveals that there is no representation to tribals and women. Taking into consideration the caste composition, there are four Reddys, three BCs and Velamas each, one SC and Muslim respectively.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, reposing faith in his close aide Nayani Narasimha Reddy, inducted him into the Cabinet even though the later is not a legislator. Similarly, out of the 11 Ministers, only Md. Mahmood Ali belongs to the Legislative Council and remaining nine to the Assembly.
Interestingly, luck has smiled on P. Srinivas Reddy, Jogu Ramanna, P.Mahender Reddy and T. Rajaiah, who joined TRS very recently. The first three are former TDP MLAs while Dr. Rajaiah was from the Congress. Induction of Mr. Mahender Reddy, who switched his loyalty days ahead of the general elections, was surprising.
Only G. Jagadishwar Reddy, MLA from Suryapet in Nalgonda, who humbled former Minister R. Damodar Reddy, is the first timer to make it to the Cabinet. TRS legislators had for the first time joined Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cabinet in 2004 in which T. Harish Rao and Nayani Narasimha Reddy were Ministers. Another notable feature is the Cabinet berth for Chief Minister’s son K.T.Rama Rao and his nephew Harish Rao.
