The chief minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, on Thursday inducted MLC Mr C. Ramachandraiah, and the Anakapalle MLA, Mr Ganta Srinivasa Rao, both belonging to the erstwhile Praja Rajyam, into the Cabinet taking the total strength to 38.
In a simple ceremony held in Raj Bhavan lawns, the governor, Mr E.S.L. Narasimhan, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the two leaders who got Cabinet berths as part of the deal the Praja Rajyam struck with Congress for the merger.
The chief minister also dismissed the maverick textile minister, Mr P. Shankar Rao, from the Cabinet. Based on a letter from the chief minister, Mr Narasimhan issued a notification removing the minister within a few hours after the swearing in ceremony.
Though the two developments — induction of two PR leaders and sacking of the textile minister — were on expected lines, Mr Shankar Rao got the support of dalit and Backward Class organisations which described the ouster as anti-dalit. The minister also got moral support from unusual quarters like the YSR Congress which said the Congress adopted a use and throw policy with him. It was Mr Shankar Rao who filed case against Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s assets in the high court that led to CBI probe. “A Dalit leader being axed from Cabinet merits mention,” the party said.
The pro-Telangana forces within Congress and outside also hit out at the CM for completely ignoring the region while making inductions into the Cabinet. No Congress MP from the T-region turned out at the swearing in ceremony.