Hyderabad: At least three-fifths of the Cabinet in Andhra Pradesh are likely to put in their papers this week, to enable chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to reconstitute his team. At the time of taking oath as CM in May 2019 — following his TSCR Congress Party’s thumping victory in the state assembly elections — Reddy had announced that his Cabinet will be revamped in two-and-a-half years. Reddy’s Cabinet includes five Deputy Chief Ministers.
The two-and-a-half year term ended in December 2021, and the delay in reshuffle can be partly attributed to the pandemic.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the outgoing ministers are likely to render their resignations over the next few days, while the reshuffle will possibly happen on 11 April. Sources in the the CM’s office also told ThePrint that Reddy will hold a Cabinet meeting Thursday, to discuss the reshuffle, and ministers who will be dropped from the Cabinet will probably be informed of the exact date for submitting resignations at this meeting.
“We have been told that there is a Cabinet meeting and we know reshuffle is also on the cards, there have been discussions about it. If we are asked to resign the same day after meeting, we will do it. We are waiting for the CM’s orders,” a minister told ThePrint, on condition of anonymity.
While 19 of the 25 Cabinet ministers are expected to resign to make space for new faces, three senior ministers may retain their posts, sources said. Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, who held the Information Technology and Industries portfolio, died in February following a sudden heart attack, so that position is anyway open.
Reddy, who returned from Delhi Wednesday after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others, met Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan the same day, probably to also brief the Governor about the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, among other things, said sources.
Representation from across districts
The focus of the reshuffle will be to have representation from each district in the Cabinet, sources said. The total number of districts in Andhra went up from 13 to 26, following a reorganisation earlier this week, which means the new Cabinet is likely to have 26 ministers, including the CM. The strength of the last Cabinet was the same.
The inclusion of women in the cabinet and representation from across castes and communities is also expected to be the focus, as it was the last time.
Following his electoral promise of reserving 50 per cent of Cabinet seats for legislators from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, OBC and minority communities, Reddy had included seven legislators from the backward classes, five from SC, one each from among the ST and Muslims, and four each from the Kapu and the Reddy communities in 2019.
The same pattern is likely to be followed this time too. Sources close to the CM said that some contenders who could not be included last time, are expected to be given a berth in this reshuffle.
“The swearing-in of the new ministers will likely be on 11 April. The auspicious time happens to be in the first half of the day, (which is a day after the Rama Navami celebrations),” a senior YSRCP party leader told ThePrint.
But though all ministers have agreed to resign according to the Chief Minister’s orders, sources among the MLAS admitted that there was discontent among them for having to give up their posts.
“The Pandemic took away a chunk of their tenure. Ultimately it all depends on CM’s decision,” an MLA, told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.
The outgoing ministers, are however, expected to be given crucial roles within the TSCR Congress Party, said leaders.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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