Ever since Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that he would expand his cabinet soon, he has been flooded with requests for several aspirants asking him to consider their names.
Reports from Amaravati said the aspirants are coming in tens to meet Naidu and submit their applications for the cabinet post.
Even those who defected from the YSR Congress party like Kidari Sarweswara Rao, Giddi Eswari and Vantala Rajeswari have thrown their hats into the ring.
Especially, women MLAs are hopeful to get a berth following reports that Naidu might consider a woman minister.
However, one of the two berths will definitely go to Muslims, as announced by Naidu at the public meeting of Muslims the other day at Guntur.
The name of Mohammad Shariff is said to have been finalised, but other Muslim MLAs like Chand Basha are also hopeful.
Naidu would fill up the vacancies arising out of the resignation of two BJP ministers – Paidikondala Manikyala Rao and Kamineni Srinivas.
While one berth is reserved for a Muslim MLA, there is a talk that Naidu should consider an ST MLA for the second berth.
The TDP has only one tribal MLA who had won on its ticket. He is Mudiyam Srinivasa Rao of Polavaram. If he is not considered, Naidu might prefer a woman candidate, sources said.