KCR devising poll-ready cabinet

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is understood to be keen on assembling an election-ready cabinet by taking at least three to four new faces after easing out those who have not come up to his expectations.

Chandrasekhar Rao did an elaborate exercise on the performance of his MLAs too during his stays at his farm house where he was closeted with his confidants. He discussed the relative strengths and weaknesses of the members of the cabinet and the legislators.

Party sources said that the reconstitution of the cabinet might take place anytime in February. According to sources, the new faces might include Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary, Deputy Speaker M Padma Devender Reddy, Legislative Council Chairman K Swami Goud and MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy.

Chandrasekhar Rao wants to rope in both Padma Reddy and Rajeswar Reddy as he wants to increase Reddys’ strength in the cabinet to eight from the present six. He is understood to be pitching in for Swami Goud in token of the recognition of the services of the employees’ associations during the Telangana movement.

The sources said that inclusion of Padma Reddy into the cabinet would serve two purposes - increasing representation to Reddys and to women. In case, Chandrasekhar Rao wants to look beyond Padma Reddy, then there is Warangal East Legislator Konda Surekha.

The Chief Minister is also contemplating entrusting key responsibilities in the party to those whom he would drop to make room for the new faces. This way, he would be able to contain dissidence that might erupt when the axe finally falls on them.

Chandrasekhar Rao is also understood to have gone through reports of the survey he had commissioned and ticked off almost half of the MLAs of his party who had failed to make the cut. According to sources, a meeting of TRS Legislature Party is slated to be held anytime during this month end.

The Chief Minister, who has ordered survey on the performance of the MLAs, is likely to hand over the survey reports to the members during the Legislature Party meeting. This would give an idea on the performance and what the people think about the MLAs as there is speculation that there would be early elections in the state. The Chief Minister had earlier had surveys done on the MLAs thrice. It is said that views of about 10 lakh people were taken into consideration in the latest survey.

Sources said that the reports of the latest survey indicated that at least 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the MLAs would not win the next elections. Many first-timers are said to be facing the heat from senior leaders from the Congress in their respective constituencies. It is learnt that the TRS leaders are worried over what would be in store for them in the survey report. The TRS has 82 MLAs in the Assembly who include those who have defected from other parties.

The Chief Minister would give directions to the MLAs as to how they should take the government programmes to the people. The Chief Minister, in the earlier TRSLP meetings, said that the sitting members would be given tickets. However, with the performance of the members slipping, the Chief Minister is understood to be having second thoughts, a TRS leader said.