Chiranjeevi To Join Union Cabinet

Rajya Sabha member K Chiranjeevi and Kurnool MP Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy are all set to get inducted into the Union Cabinet.

According to sources, the Congress High Command has cleared the names of both the leaders for a berth during the cabinet reshuffle scheduled to be on October 28. It may be worth mentioning that while Chiranjeevi, the founder of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam party, was tipped off long back for inclusion in the Union Council of Ministers. However, the candidature of Suryaprakash Reddy, son of former Chief Minister Kotla Vijayabhasker Reddy, came as a surprise to many. Both the Parliamentarians have been asked to be available in New Delhi on Sunday.

While Chiranjeevi represents Andhra, Kotla is a stalwart of the Rayalaseema region. However, the Congress High Command seems undecided over a candidate from the Telangana region. Mahboobabad MP Balram Naik, Nizamabad MP Madhu Yakshi Goud, Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao, Malkajgiri MP Sarve Satyanarayana and Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav are some of the names that were reportedly being considered for a berth in Union Cabinet. Meanwhile, sources say that Balram Naik has got a message from the Cabinet Secretary asking him to be available in the national capital on Sunday.

Sources also say that Daggubati Purandeswari and MM Pallam Raju might be dropped from the cabinet. However, Purandeswari might be given an important post in the State Congress to counter the women's leadership in the YSR Congress party of Vijayamma and Sharmila. As the daughter of former Chief Minister the late N T Rama Rao, she might also effectively counter Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who is now enjoying the support of the entire NTR family, including Balakrishna, sources added. (INN)