Chandrababu Naidu's son to be inducted in Andhra cabinet

Chandrababu Naidu has finalised the much awaited expansion and reshuffle, sources in Telugu Desam Party said.

Amaravati, March 30: The Andhra Pradesh cabinet is likely to be expanded on April 2 with the induction of six ministers including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's son N. Lokesh.

Naidu has finalised the much awaited expansion and reshuffle, sources in Telugu Desam Party said.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at a ceremony to be held near the secretariat building in this new capital of the state.

Lokesh, elected unopposed to the legislative council this month, on Thursday took oath along with other newly elected members.

The only son of Naidu, he is the general secretary of TDP. Naidu had been grooming him as his successor for the last few years.

Naidu constituted his cabinet on June 8, 2014 when he took oath as the first chief minister of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

Nineteen ministers had also taken oath with him. They included three from TDP's ally BJP.

TDP sources said Naidu may drop four ministers as he was not satisfied with their performance.

Naidu can induct six ministers to his present cabinet and if four ministers are dropped, the number of new entrants may go up to 10.

Akhila Priya, daughter of Bhooma Nagi Reddy, the TDP leader who died of cardiac arrest a few days ago, is also likely to be inducted.

The opposition YSR Congress had targeted Naidu for luring Nagi Reddy to the TDP last year with the promise of a cabinet but went back on his word, which led to his death.

TDP's Andhra Pradesh unit chief Kala Venkat Rao and a former minister S. Chandramohan Reddy are among others tipped be included in the cabinet.

IANS