Andhra Pradesh has now got a first woman home minister and not just that, a Dalit home minister.
In yet another bold decision, YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy designated Mekathoti Sucharita as the home minister.
A Dalit representing Prathipadu (SC) reserved constituency in Guntur district, Sucharita is the first home minister in the bifurcated Andhra Pradesh.
In the past, the only woman home minister was Sabita Indra Reddy in the combined Andhra Pradesh. She was chosen by Jagan’s father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, in 2009.
Along with Sucharita, 24 others were sworn in as the ministers in Jagan cabinet at a grand ceremony in the premises of secretariat at Velagapudi.
Governor E S L Narasimhan administered oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at the ceremony which commenced at 11.49 am. The chief minister allotted portfolios to the newly-inducted ministers later in the evening,
Jagan already designated five ministers in the cabinet as deputy chief ministers, but did not give them major portfolios. They are: Pamula Pushpa Sri Vani (tribal welfare), Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose (revenue, stamps and registration), Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Alla Nani (health, family welfare and medical education), K Narayana Swamy (Excise and Prohibition), Amzad Basha Sheik Bepari (Minority welfare).
Firebrand MLA from Nagari R K Roja who belongs to Reddy community, was disappointed being left out of the cabinet.
A deeply hurt Roja left Vijayawada on Friday night despite of a call from Jagan’s office to make herself available on Saturday and abstained from swearing in ceremony.
There are 11 from forward castes, 7 from backward classes, 5 SCs and one each from ST and minority communities.
There are only four from Reddy community --- Balineni Srinivasa Reddy (Ongole), Mekapati Gowtham Reddy (Atmakuru), Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy (Punganur), and Buggana Rajendra Nath Reddy (Done).
Coastal Andhra got major share in the cabinet. East and West Godavari and Krishna districts got 3 berths each. Vizianagaram, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Kurnool got two each.
Jagan’s native Kadapa district got one berth. Srikakulam and Anantapur also got one each.