All set for swearing-in of new Andhra cabinet

HYDERABAD - The new cabinet in Andhra Pradesh will be sworn in Wednesday.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will administer oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers including a deputy chief minister at Raj Bhavan at 10.13 a.m., the auspicious time set by astrologers.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who took oath last week, will assume office before the swearing-in of his cabinet. According to officials, Reddy will enter his chamber at the state secretariat at the auspicious time of 9.52 a.m.

The cabinet formation has assumed greater significance in view of the resignation of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy from the Congress party. Jagan also quit as Member of Parliament nd his mother Vijayalaxmi as member of the assembly to protest the alleged attempts of the Congress leadership to divide their family.

Jagan, son of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, accused the party leadership of wooing his uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy with a ministerial post to create fissures in the family.

Vivekananda Reddy, who has decided not to leave the Congress party, Tuesday said he had no information whether he would be inducted into the cabinet or not.

The party has already announced that the deputy chief minister will be from Telangana.

J. Geeta Reddy or Damodar Rajanarasimha may become chief minister.

Kiran Kumar Reddy is also likely to go for a small cabinet. Sources in the ruling party said he would gauge the mood of those left out and accommodate in the future cabinet expansion.

The chief minister is also reported to be still hopeful of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) joining the government. The PRP Monday rejected the Congress’ offer to join the cabinet but assured it of outside support if necessary.

PRP has 18 legislators in the 294-member assembly and the Congress will be banking on it for the government’s survival in case Jagan manages to pull out a substantial number of MLAS.

At least two ministers in the Rosaiah cabinet who openly supported Jagan will not be inducted. Few others who were in the earlier cabinet were also likely to be dropped.

Kiran Kumar was named chief minister by the Congress leadership on Nov 24 after K. Rosaiah quit on health grounds.