Jan 20, 2012

Cabinet revamp a damp squib

The much-awaited Cabinet revamp by CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy turned out to be a damp squib as it saw only two new inductions, both from the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party of Chiranjeevi, and the sacking of one Minister.

While legislative council member Ramachandraiah and MLA Ghanta Srinivas Rao were sworn in by Governor ESL Narasimhan, the Chief Minister sacked the Minister for Handloom and Textiles P Shankar Rao from his 14 month old Cabinet post following the
controversy surrounding the Minister. The Chief Minister, however, could not have his way in bringing about a large scale reshuffle as the high command did not grant his wish of dropping a few more Ministers and inducting the men of his choice.

Both Ramachandraiah and Ghanta Srinivas Rao were earlier in Telugu Desam Party and joined Praja Rajyam soon after its launch in 2008. They were both handpicked by Chiranjeevi for induction in the Cabinet as part of the deal under which PRP was merged with the Congress party.

The limited expansion of the Cabinet and the dropping of one Minister from the Telangana region have only added to the heartburn among Congress leaders from the region, some of whom openly criticised the Chief Minister for ignoring the region.

The representation of Telangana region in the Cabinet has now come down to 13 lawmakers with two Ministers – J Krishna Rao and K Venkat Reddy – having resigned earlier opposing party’s silence over Telangana formation.

Shankar Rao’s sacking was imminent as he had caused acute embarrassment to the Chief Minister and the Congress party by publicly charging other Cabinet colleagues with corruption. He has been frequently attacking the State Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy, accusing her of taking bribes for the transfers and postings of police officials.

Shankar Rao, on whose PIL the State High Court had ordered a probe in to the disproportionate assets of YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, had fallen out with the Chief Minister many months ago.

Reacting to his sacking from the Cabinet, Shankar Rao said that this was a conspiracy hatched by the Chief Minister and AICC General Secretary-cum-in-charge of AP affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad. “Now I am free and I will carry on my campaign against corruption more freely”, he said.

The decision not to induct any Minister from Telangana region has evoked strong disapproval from within the party and outside. Gutta Sukhinder Reddy, the Congress MP from Nalgonda, said that the move amounted to grave injustice for the region.