Andhra CM picks his deputies from SC, ST, backward, Kapu, minority
In a sensational decision, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday announced the induction of five Deputy Chief Ministers, one each from SC, ST, backward, minority and Kapu communities.
Jagan, who took charge as CM on May 30, will form his full-fledged Cabinet with 25 Ministers on Saturday.
With this Jagan created a record of sorts, as appointing five Deputy CMs is the highest-ever number in any State in the country and no CM in the country had made such an experiment earlier.
Jagan said he will review his Cabinet after 30 months and new ones will get the opportunity then.
Almost 50 per cent of the Cabinet will be filled with SC, ST, backward and minority legislators.
The oath-taking ceremony of newly inducted Cabinet Ministers will be held at Vijayawada on Saturday.
Governor ESL Narasimhan will administer oath of office and secrecy to the newly inducted Cabinet Ministers.
He said the entire country is looking at Andhra Pradesh which would provide a clean and efficient administration to the people.
Jagan sprang a surprise on his party MLAs and MLCs, when he addressed the legislature party meeting at his party office in Amarvati on Friday. He announced that he would form a full-fledged Cabinet with 25 Ministers on Saturday and five of them would be Dy CMs, as the MLAs and MLCs listened to him with a shock.
“The five Deputy CMs would be from SC, ST, BC, minorities and Kapu communities so as to give a balance to all groups and do social justice,” he said.
Former AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu appointed two Deputy CMs during his term from 2014 to 2019.
Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao also appointed two Deputy CMs in his first term from 2014 to 2018 but he avoided appointing Deputy CMs after he assumed office for second term in December 2018.
Jagan met the Governor on Friday and submitted his list of Cabinet Ministers, who will be sworn in on Saturday.
Appointing five Deputy CMs is being seen as Jagan’s gesture to reward these communities for throwing their weight behind the YSRCP, enabling it to storm to power with a landslide victory last month.