Putting an end to speculation that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is likely to go for a Cabinet reshuffle, Panchayat Raj and IT Minister N. Lokesh has stated that there is no truth in reports that appeared in a section of media.
When asked about the Cabinet reshuffle, he shot back saying: “How can you expect to react to the reports in a section of media?”
Mr. Lokesh also said Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya’s performance was good. “She is doing a fine job and has a bright future,” he said.
Mr. Lokesh said Ms. Akhila Priya successfully conducted the Hot Air Balloon festival in Araku and the Social Media Summit in Vijayawada. These programmes brought laurels to the tourism sector in the State, he said.
He, however, said the Chief Minister expressed anger over the boat tragedy near Pavitra Sangamam.
The government would not allow the culprits to go scot-free. It would not spare the officials of the department who were hand-in-glove with the private boat operators, he said.
Mr. Naidu, at a strategy meeting on Monday, reportedly commented that Ministers used to resign on moral grounds when such things happened. It triggered speculation that the Chief Minister had plans for Cabinet reshuffle and Ms. Akhila Priya would be dropped from the Cabinet.
