Race hots up for berths in Naidu cabinet

HYDERABAD: As the swearing- in ceremony of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu as the chief minister is approaching fast, TDP leaders are getting eager to know who will get berths in the soon-to-be formed state Cabinet.

Though several of his senior colleagues, along with some young MLAs of the party, are trying to wheedle the TDP boss into inducting them in his council of ministers, Naidu is still keeping his cards close to his chest with regard to his choice of MLAs/ MLCs for the Cabinet.

As far as seniors are concerned, veteran politicos such as Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Pathivada Narayana Swamy Naidu, Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa, KE Krishna Murthy, Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy, Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao, Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, Gouthu Syam Sunder Sivaji, Chintakayala Ayyannapatrudu and some other old-timers in the party are nurturing hopes of becoming the part of Naidu's government.

Among the younger generation, legislators such as K Atchannaidu, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Alapati Rajendra Prasad, D Narendra Kumar and others are in the race for ministerial berths.

The then ministers in the recent Congress government, who had joined the TDP just before the general polls and got reelected, such as Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Pithani Satyanarayana too are aspiring to be the Cabinet colleagues of Naidu in the first government of truncated Andhra Pradesh.

In fact, almost all the newly elected MLAs, along with party MLCs from Seemandhra, are trying to exert pressure on the TDP boss to give them a Cabinet berth.

'As it would be a challenging task to develop the residuary AP and implement all our poll promises at a time when there is a revenue deficit, our party chief wants to form the Cabinet with a blend of experienced and young leaders so as to efficiently run the government,' said party senior JR Pushpa Raj.

Party seniors say clarity over the size and members of the Cabinet would emerge only after the party's two-day annual conclave Mahanadu.

Apart from trying to get a Cabinet berth, some senior colleagues of the TDP chief are also positioning themselves for the two deputy CM posts promised by Naidu--one for Kapus and one BCs.

Aspirants for the posts are growing with each passing day. Even as the TDP boss is sending out feelers that he is considering the name of his trusted lieutenant Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa for the deputy CM from Kapu community, several other MLAs from the same caste, including Ganta Srinivasa Rao, have begun attempts to persuade Naidu to pick them for the post.

As far as another deputy CM post is concerned, apart from Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and KE Krishna Murthy, leaders like Ch Ayyannapathrudu and Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao (Thurpu Kapu) are trying their best to prevail upon their party chief.