Adviser to the State Government (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on Sunday said political empowerment of the weaker sections was accorded top priority in the Cabinet reshuffle by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Addressing the media at the party’s central office, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said almost 70% of the Cabinet berths were allotted to the SC, ST, BC and Minority communities unlike in the erstwhile TDP government’s Cabinet where the marginalised sections were given only 42% representation.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said 10 Ministers were retained from the old Cabinet, while 15 new faces had been inducted in the new team.
Explaining the social equations, he said the Cabinet comprised 10 Ministers from the BCs, five from the Scheduled Castes, one from the Scheduled Tribes, one from the Minority and eight others from other castes. Exercising gender inclusivity, four women were given place in the new Cabinet, he added.
He said the Deputy Chief Ministers’ posts would continue to exist in the new Cabinet, and said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had done equal justice to all the communities.
K. Veerabhadra Swamy from the Vysya community was given the post of Deputy Speaker, while Malladi Vishnu from the Brahmin community was made the Chairman of the A.P. Planning Board. M. Prasada Raju from Kshatriya community was given the post of the Chief Whip, while Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) was appointed Chairman of the A.P. State Development Board.
