Vijayawada: Seniors proved a tough nut for Jagan

Vijayawada: The state Cabinet reshuffle is being touted as a social engineering marvel by the YSRCP leaders. Several ministers who have been sworn in and some who lost out like Perni Venkatramaiah (Nani) and Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) stated it was a proof of their leader Jagan Mohan Reddy's commitment to the downtrodden and the deprived sections as about 70 per cent of the new Cabinet members are from these sections.

Jagan Mohan Reddy is shrewd enough to give representation to all these sections as he wants to build them as alternative power centres in the districts where many previous Cabinet members have lost their positions now.

He knows that there would always be a chance of facing revolt in case of a strong leader getting denied a ticket in future. Hence, it is said that he tried to "balance it out or even it out" by not allowing monolith power structure to flourish in districts by restructuring the Cabinet.

But, in case of senior ministers like Botcha Satyanaryana or Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, there was no way he could ask them to go as they were bound to retaliate. Satyanarayana is one leader who maintains his old mobile number even to this day for daily use. Reason: "Cabinet positions come and go. Parties too come and go. I don't want to depend on them". Some of the seniors retained in the new Cabinet are those who already had established themselves in the districts before joining the YSRCP.

Jagan Mohan Reddy is said to have sent feelers to those about his intent, but had got quite a 'strong response' from them. He could not simply afford dissent from these ministers and reconsidered his decision.

By now he might have realised that all is not well anyway. Strongmen like Balineni Srinivas Reddy are a force to reckon with in Prakasam district. Moreover, the TDP has made him a target for long levelling corruption charges. Obviously, losing the Cabinet berth now would only give more pep to the Opposition attack now.

Likewise, former home minister, Mekathoti Sucharitha, has issues with local YSRCP leaders. Her influence is bound to wane in the district now having lost the berth and she too will become a thorn in the YSRCP plans in future.

It is not just her. There are senior leaders like Samineni Udaya Bhanu, Kolusu Parthasarathy, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy who now prefer to play their cards close to the chest.

There is nothing to prove that the Cabinet reshuffle has been done on the basis of performance too as no report suggests it. It seems that Jagan just preferred going to the people in the next elections with new faces as far as possible.

It is to be seen whether new members of the Cabinet grow in stature in the next two years or so to ensure a smooth transition to the second term of power by endearing themselves to the people while also allowing the cadres (their followers) to strengthen their base. It depends a lot on the new ministers' capabilities and also the 'encouragement' they get from the Chief Minister himself.

The Chief Minister is said to be not so accessible to his own party leadership including most of the MLAs and MLCs, according to YSRCP seniors. There is little to expect any change too in this attitude.

Jagan Mohan Reddy has been facing, by and large, the Opposition attack all these three years. Narasapuram MP K Raghurama Krishnam Raju has already become a thorn for him. Only time will tell if such voices will get strengthened further in the near future with the addition of dissidents.