Naidu faced with a tricky task

The talk of `sonrise’ in AP politics gathers pace afresh ahead of the Budget session scheduled from March 6 and Ugadi.

It is not new that the state polity has been witnessing speculations surrounding Nara Lokesh Babu, son of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and Cabinet expansion for the last 30 months since Naidu government came to power.

Even as Chandrababu, known for keeping the party rank and file guessing and letting the aspirants go after the mirage-like positions till the last minute, keeps evading the cabinet rejig, it is sure to happen this time, hope insiders.

Lokesh Babu, the scion of Nara family who remains as a backroom boy in his capacity as the party general secretary and politburo member, is expected to do a KTR (K T Rama Rao, the son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) in the successor state, if the talk in the power corridors is anything to go by.

According to information, Naidu may have to expand his 19-member council of ministers up to 26 with a greater role for his son, probably after the last week of March or in the first week of April soon after the budget session.

The cabinet expansion has been overdue since TDP government assumed charge in June 2016. The exercise is crucial to the 30-month-old TDP government which desperately needs a `performing’ cabinet capable of delivering the goods at the end of the day.

The gaps in delivery of administration and welfare schemes in the government have been attributed to `inertia’ on the part of the Naidu’s team. Besides, Naidu seems to be craving for a `fire-fighting’ team to come to the rescue of the government at times of turbulence such as the tirade launched by Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham for a BC status for the community.

Although Chandrababu gave envious positions to several Kapu leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister, all of them failed to save the government from the Mudragada’s onslaught effectively, it is observed.

“We want vocal and able leaders in the cabinet to counter the YSRCP’s Jaganmohan Reddy, caste satraps like Padmanabham and act against the growing anti-establishment sentiment like an antidote in the preface to elections and we hope our leader Naidu reshuffle the cabinet in such a manner that it will meet all the expectations,” say TDP leaders.

Lokesh’s anointment as a Cabinet minister is said to be a formality given the indications by the CM in a chat with the Telangana party leaders sometime back. In addition, the expansion exercise is unlikely to escape the scion’s impressions.

Even as Naidu is left with an elbow room to increase the size of the cabinet by six berths, he may introduce 4-6 new faces by replacing the non-performing ministers with a tainted image to that extent.

The CM is obligated to please the Backward Classes who are not happy with the government over the issue of Kapu reservations, befriend Muslim Minorities who got alienated from the TDP since it is sailing with the BJP and Reddies who are identified with the Jagan’s YSRC.

The cabinet expansion seemingly will not pass off without setting the cat among the pigeons in some districts like Kurnool, Kadapa and Prakasam. Chandrababu is understood to have encouraged defection of 24 MLAs from the YSRC with a promise for cabinet berths to some of them.

Bhuma Nagi Reddy from Nandyal in Kurnool district is one among such turncoats who received the promise of cabinet berths. The rival group is led by Silpa brothers — Mohan Reddy and Chakrapani Reddy — who explicitly spelt out their opposition to Bhuma’s elevation with a warning to even desert the party.

In Prakasam district, Karanam Balaram is seeking double promotions as an MLC and minister much against the wishes of the rival group of Gottipati Ravi who recently defected from the YSRC.

In Kadapa, Devagudi Adinarayana Reddy, a defector from YSRC, may find a place in the cabinet in line with a perceived promise given by Naidu. The gesture, if realised, is certain to leave his long-time rival and party old-timer Ramasubba Reddy fuming.

It may not be ruled out that the seething discontentment in the wounded souls who lost out in the race for ministry may trigger reverse migrations from the TDP to the YSRC.

The defection of Gangula Prabhakar Reddy, TDP leader who lost to Bhuma Nagi Reddy in 2014 elections in Nandyal to YSRC has already set a trend in this direction.