Soon after taking over as the CM of Andhra Pradesh and forming his council of ministers last year, YSRC president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that 90 per cent of the present cabinet ministers would be replaced by new faces after two and a half years.
Thus, Jagan gave a hint that he would take up the cabinet reshuffle only after two and a half years. But the latest talk is that he might go in for a mini-reshuffle of his cabinet, in the wake of the resignation of two cabinet ministers – Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Mopidevi Venkataramana, who are now all set to get elected to Rajya Sabha.
This has led to the speculation as to who would replace the two ministers. Since Jagan wants to abolish the legislative council, he might not accommodate the MLCs in the cabinet. So, the lucky two would only be from the assembly.
The talk is that since Pilli and Mopidevi belong to Backward Classes, the chief minister might replace them only with the BC, as he has earmarked 50 per cent of the cabinet berths to the weaker sections.
So, there is no chance of accommodating Reddys or Kapus or other upper castes. It means there is no scope for aspirants like R K Roja, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy or Ambati Rambabu.
The names of the MLAs from Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam are being heard as replacements for Pilli and Mopidevi.
There is also a talk that Jagan might elevate his hardcore loyalist Kurasala Kanna Babu as the deputy chief minister, in place of Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose.
Kanna Babu is already in the cabinet as an agriculture minister and the elevation is a sort of recognition to his hard work, say sources.
It remains to be seen how soon Jagan will take up the cabinet reshuffle and who he would accommodate in place out outgoing ministers.