8.6.19

Andhra Pradesh: Jagan to have five deputy CMs in cabinet

In a significant departure from the usual norms, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that his cabinet will have five deputy chief ministers drawn from different social sections. One each from the minorities, SCs, STs, BCs and Kapu caste will be accommodated.

Jagan, who brought his YSR Congress Party to power in May with a landslide victory by winning 151 of the 175 seats in the assembly, has also announced that his cabinet would have 50 per cent representation from these oppressed sections — contrary to expectations that the Reddy community would get a lion's share — which have never enjoyed such recognition in the past.

This would entail four ministers each from Reddy and Kapu communities, seven from backward classes, five from SCs, one each from Kamma, Kshatriya and Vaisya, ST and minorities.

He declared that 90 per cent of the ministers would be replaced with new faces after 30 months. The YSRCP chief told the Legislature Party meeting that he will induct 25 ministers in the cabinet.

In the previous N Chandrababu Naidu government, one each from Kapu and BC communities was made deputy chief minister.

Jagan made these announcements at the maiden meeting of the YSR Congress Legislature Party at his Tadepalli camp office. The new cabinet members will be sworn in by Governor ESL Narasimhan at a grand function in Amaravati on Saturday noon. Jagan took the oath as CM on May 30.

The MLAs were thrilled and turned emotional upon being informed about the innovative measures and reforms from their leader.

Jagan has been working towards giving the administration a new shape. He has focused on implementing total prohibition in a phased manner starting with the shutting down of unauthorised liquor outlets in villages. He announced recruiting four lakh village volunteers to deliver government services at the doorstep of the beneficiaries.

He met Chief Justice of the AP High Court Praveen Kumar and requested him to allocate a sitting judge to examine tender processes in all government departments. He announced welfare to be his top priority. He told party legislators and bureaucrats that every step from now should aim at providing transparent governance and taking the administration closer to the people.

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