Hard lobbying on for Cabinet berths

Leaders line up to see Naidu, Lokesh

With just a day to go for the expected Cabinet expansion, aspirants are moving heaven and earth to fulfil their dreams. Not lagging behind, Ministers, who fear losing the post, are lobbying hard to retain it.

Both aspirants and Ministers are lining up before TDP president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son, Lokesh.

They were seen meeting Mr. Naidu as teams immediately after the Assembly session. At least eight people desire a berth in the Cabinet. Mr. Naidu is learnt to have told them that it was not possible to accommodate every leader but, it doesn’t mean that they were not up to the mark.

Mr. Lokesh arrived at Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinarajappa’s chamber at Legislature building for luncheon session. Upon learning this, the aspirants made a line in front of Mr. Rajappa’s chamber.

Incidentally, Mr. Rajappa’s name also figured in the list of ministers who are likely to be dropped. Sources say that he will be made party chief of AP unit.

Chambers for Ministers

The officials are making arrangements swiftly for swearing in ceremony scheduled on Sunday at 9.25 a.m.This apart, a discussion is going on in corridors of Secretariat about chambers to be provided to the new Ministers.

At present, there are chambers for 19 ministers. Five ministers are accommodated in block-II, three in block-III, four in block-IV, and five in block-V. Another four to five ministers would be accommodated in the reshuffle/expansion.

The General Administration Department (GAD) will have to scout for chambers for the new Ministers.