Y.S. Chowdary, Parliamentary Party leader of the Telugu Desam Party, is all set to join the Union Cabinet on Sunday.
A first-time Rajya Sabha member, he got a call from the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday morning confirming his inclusion.
Soon after he got the call, ‘Sujana’ Chowdary, as he is popularly called for founding the Sujana group of industries, met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at his Jubilee Hills residence here. After meeting Mr. Naidu, Mr. Chowdary told presspersons that he was prepared to take any responsibility assigned by the Prime Minister. He was not choosy about portfolios. As a member of the Union Cabinet representing Andhra Pradesh, he would strive for the all-round development of the State and for turning its deficit budget into a surplus one.
Mr. Naidu recommended his name on Thursday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him while he was participating in the India Economic Summit organised by the World Economic Forum and the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi.
At a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Naidu confirmed that he had recommended Mr. Chowdary’s name to the Prime Minister.
Asked if he sought any portfolio for Mr. Chowdary, he said it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
Mr. Chowdary will be the second MP from the TDP to be inducted into the Cabinet, the first being Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who represents the Vizianagaram constituency.
