Dy CM Rajaiah dropped from Telangana Cabinet; K Srihari inducted

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today dropped one of his deputies, T Rajaiah, who was looking after the health portfolio, from the Council of Ministers and inducted K Srihari in his place.

“On the advice of chief minister, Governor ESL Narasimhan has consented to drop Dr T Rajaiah from the Council of Ministers for Medical and Health with immediate effect,” a state government release said here.

The dropping of Rajaiah came against the backdrop of media reports over the last few days about alleged corruption and others in his office.

Meanwhile, K Srihari, who is at present a Member of Parliament, was inducted into the Cabinet and a formal event was held at the Raj Bhavan for the purpose.

Srihari would be a deputy chief minister and would look after the education portfolio, the release said. The other deputy chief minister is Mohammed Mahmood Ali.

In a minor change of portfolios in the Cabinet, C Laxma Reddy has been given medical and health and G Jagadish Reddy has got energy.

Separate GOs were issued on the changes in the Council of Ministers.

Talking to reporters, Srihari said he would work as a “soldier for the reconstruction of Telangana”. “I am happy to have got this opportunity. I will work as a soldier in the reconstruction of Telangana as per the orders and advice of (chief minster) KCR,” he said.