For the last few days there has been speculation that YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to retain senior cabinet colleague Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy during the forthcoming revamp of the state council of ministers.
If this speculation is true, then it will definitely dampen the spirit of firebrand actress-turned-politician and Nagari MLA R K Roja.
She has been nurturing a strong hope for quite some time that she would definitely get into the cabinet this time.
After the formation of the YSRC government in May 2019, everybody expected that Roja would definitely get the cabinet berth because of her active role in the party.
But Jagan ignored her and accommodated Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, who represents Punganuru assembly constituency in Chittoor.
Roja is also a Reddy and from the same Chittoor district, Jagan could not take her into the cabinet, as it is not possible to accommodate two Reddys from the same district.
He gave her the cabinet rank post of AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation chairman post, but it was only for two years.
If Jagan wants to retain Peddireddy in the cabinet, Roja will lose the chance once again.
Moreover, she has not been tolerating Peddireddy’s interference in Nagari constituency. So, if the senior continues in the cabinet, she might even find it tough to win the next elections.
Peddireddy’s continuance will also affect the chances of another Reddy from Chittoor – Bhumana Karunakar Reddy on the same caste equations.
There are only four Reddys in the Jagan’s present cabinet and he might retain the same number this time, too. In place of deceased minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Jagan may offer the cabinet berth to his wife Sri Keerthi or his uncle Chandrasekhar Reddy.
So, there is absolutely no chance to another Reddy from Nellore, though others like Kakani Goverdhan Reddy, Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy and Pratap Kumar Reddy are also trying for the berth.
If Jagan wants to retain finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, too, there will be chance to only one more Reddy in the cabinet.
It could be Balineni Srinivas Reddy from Prakasam, who might continue in the cabinet. If not, it might go to another Reddy from Anantapur or Guntur, say sources.
