New AP Cabinet sworn-in, Jagan loyalists axed

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today constituted a 39-member new Council of Ministers by dropping five ministers, including two loyalists of rebel MP Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose uncle also got a cabinet berth.

As expected, two Jagan loyalists Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose were axed while Kiran Kumar's bitter rival in Chittoor district, P R Reddy, was also shown the door.

Jagan's uncle Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was inducted into the Cabinet. He is the lone member from the state Legislative Council to be made a minister.

11 new faces, including seven debutants, were among those inducted in the cabinet. They were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor E S L Narasimhan at a function in the Raj Bhavan in the presence of former Chief Minister K Rosaiah and a host of other leaders.

Senior leaders K Jana Reddy, D L Ravindra Reddy, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy and P Shankar Rao have made a comeback into the Cabinet while another senior Gade Venkata Reddy was dropped.

Guntur district retained the top slot in the Cabinet with four berths, though with a single change. Hyderabad, Medak and Kadapa districts are next with three ministers each. Adilabad district that has only one Congress MLA has been left with a blank in the Cabinet yet again.

Earlier, Kiran Kumar entered the state Secretariat for the first time after taking charge as Chief Minister on November 25. He entered his official chamber in the Samatha Block of the Secretariat at 9.52 AM, the auspicious time fixed for the occasion. a