TD WON’T GET NEW BERTH AT CENTRE

The Telugu Desam may not get an additional berth in the proposed reshuffle of the Union Cabinet this month, as it is expected to be an affair confined to the BJP.

Though the matter of the Cabinet reshuffle came up during TD president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s meeting with BJP president Amit Shah as well as Prime Minister Modi in Delhi recently, it was indicated to him that the reshuffle will be confined to the BJP.

Currently, the TD has one Cabinet minister — civil aviation minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju — and one minister of state — Y.S. Chowdary — in the Union Council of Ministers.

Currently, there are three senior MPs in the party — Hindupur MP Nimmala Kishtappa (BC), Chittoor MP Dr N. Siva Prasad (SC), Narasaraopet MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao (OC).

According to sources in the Telugu Desam, Mr Naidu was not keen to push for the inclusion of any new names for the inclusion in the council of ministers due to several local factors such as seniority, caste and region.

For example, if Mr Kishtappa was considered for the post, it may annoy Dr Siva Prasad and it is not possible to push for ministerial posts.

Though Anantapur MP J.C. Diwakara Reddy is senior in politics, he is a first time MP. However, Mr Sambasiva Rao who is six-time MP and is eligible in all respects. However, he belongs to the same caste as of Mr Chowdary, who is already made minister,

The TD chief was of the view it would be politically prudent to not recommend anyone’s name for Cabinet berths and trigger dissatisfaction among the senior MPs.