Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday inducted into the Cabinet his son Nara lokesh and six others besides the four Opposition YSRC MlAs, who had joined his party TDP, after dropping five Ministers.
Naidu effected the first major reshuffle of his Cabinet since formation of the TDP-BJP Government on June 8, 2014, attracting angry reactions from leader of Opposition S Jaganmohan Reddy and triggering discontent in his party.
Jaganmohan Reddy said the induction of four YSR Congress MlAs into the AP Cabinet was a “grave insult” to the Constitution and also to the State. “This is a black day in the political history of Andhra Pradesh,” the YSRC president said. One of the dropped Ministers, Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy, resigned from his Assembly membership.
The veteran TDP leader from Chittoor forwarded his resignation letter to Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao this morning. A copy of the letter was also sent to the CM. Chandrababu spoke to Bojjala over phone and is said to have explained the reason for his sacking. Governor ESl Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Ministers at a function near the State Government’s transitional headquarters at Velagapudi.
The AP Cabinet’s strength has now increased to 26. The Cabinet now has four members of the legislative council, including lokesh who was elected to the State legislative council under the MlAs’ quota last month. The four YSRC MlAs, who were sworn-in included RV Sujay Krishna Rao, Bhuma Akhila Priya, Ch Adinarayana Reddy, N Amarnatha Reddy.