17 new ministers inducted into AP Council

Hyderabad, Apr 26: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy expanded the state Council of Ministers by inducting 17 new ministers here today.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office to the new ministers at a ceremony in the lawns of the Raj Bhavan.

With this, the strength of the Council of Ministers goes up to 41.

The new ministers are Pilli Subash Chandra Bose, Maganti Babu, Mandali Buddha Prasad, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, Kasu Krishna Reddy, M Hanumantha Rao, Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, R Chenga Reddy, Galla Aruna, G Chinna Reddy, M Mukesh Goud, R Damodar Reddy, T Jeevan Reddy, J Ratnakar Rao, Vanama Venkateswara Rao, Sabhani Chandrasekhar, Damodar Raja Narasimha.

Union Minister of State for Health P Lakshmi, Assembly Speaker K R Suresh Reddy, state ministers including K Rosaiah, Home Minister K Jana Reddy, Industries Minister J Geeta Reddy were among those who attended the ceremony.

Coastal Andhra region got a maximum of 18 ministerial berths, while Telangana got 17 and Rayalaseema six.

With this expansion, Backward Classes got 11 berths, SCs seven STs seven and minorities two in the 41 member Council of Ministers.

Four former ministers are among the newly inducted ministers.

UNI