YSR expands Cabinet, rejigs portfolios

Hyderabad, Apr 26 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today inducted 17 new ministers in his 23-member Cabinet giving representation to various regions and sections of people while reshuffling portfolios of few others.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at an impressive ceremony in the Raj Bhavan lawns.

But the expansion did have its share of hiccups. Peeved at non-inclusion in the Cabinet, Congress Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader G Venkatswamy's son-in-law P Shankar Rao tendered his resignation as MLA to AICC President Sonia Gandhi while Former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader P Janardhan Reddy critised the chief minister for not giving representation to Telangana Region.

Dr Reddy also reshuffled the portfolios of some of his colleagues. Mr P Venkateswara Rao was divested of higher education which was given to Mr D Srinivas who was hitherto handling Rural Development and Backward Classes Welfare.

Mr Rao, facing a Lok Ayukta probe in connection with alleged misuse of funds belonging to the Telugu Academy, will now handle Rural Water Supply.

The Department dealing with Centrally-sponsored Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, which was in the limelight following the exposure of mutli-crore education scam, was taken away from Ms N Rajyalakshmi and handed over to Mr M Haumantha Rao.

Ms Rajylakshmi will now handle Women Development and Child, Disabled and Juvenile Welfare.

With this, Backward Classes have 11 Cabinet berths, SCs seven, STs seven and Minorities two in the council of ministers.

The Chief Minister would now handle General Administration, Law and Order and porfolios not allotted to other Ministers.

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