Cabinet revamp in Andhra Pradesh: mixed bag of fortunes for aspirants

While Balineni’s supporters have slipped into despair, the mood in Suresh’s camp is upbeat

It was a bag of mixed fortunes for the YSR Congress Party MLAs who aspired for berths in the revamped Cabinet of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Gloom and despair were writ large on the faces of the followers of senior party leader Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, as the Chief Minister chose not to retain him in the new Cabinet, which would be sworn in on Monday.

Supporters of Mr. Srinivasa Reddy insisted that he be continued as Minister, as he had sailed with Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy during trying times.

Mr. Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, Political Affairs Adviser to the Government, called on the disgruntled party leader from Prakasam district to assuage his feelings.

Mr. Srinivasa Reddy had served as a Minister in the Cabinet of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

However, jubilation was visible in the camp of A. Suresh, hitherto Education Minister, in his constituency, Yerragondapalem, as the YSRCP supremo, after several rounds of consultations, decided to continue him in the new Cabinet, as otherwise Prakasam district would go unrepresented.

Initially, the party had shortlisted the name of M. Thippeswamy from Anantapur for inclusion in the Cabinet as he, like Mr. Suresh, also hailed from the Madiga community, party sources said.

The YSRCP activists burst crackers and distributed sweets in front of the residence of Sarvepalli MLA Kakani Govardhan Reddy in Nellore as his name was cleared for inclusion in the new Cabinet from Nellore district, where the ruling party had won all the 10 Assembly seats in 2019.

Kotamreddy weeps

Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, who was aspiring for a Cabinet berth, could not hide his disappointment as he wept in front of the television cameras as his name did not figure in the list.

Regaining composure, Mr. Sridhar Reddy said he would go ahead with the campaign from Monday to popularise the welfare and development initiatives of the government.

The Cabinet rejig left senior legislators Anam Ramanarayana Reddy from Venkatagiri and M. Mahidhar Reddy from Kandukur disappointed. They had served as Ministers in united Andhra Pradesh.