For the last few days, there have been reports that YSRCP president and CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has finalised the names of Dr Sidiri Appala Raju, low-profile MLA from Palasa in Srikakulam district and Chelluboyina Venugopala Krishna from Ramachandrapuram constituency in East Godavari district for the two cabinet berths.
The berths have fallen vacant following the resignation of deputy chief minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and excise minister Mopidevi Venkataramana. So, the talk of a minor cabinet reshuffle has been going on.
While Appala Raju hails from fishermen community to which Mopidevi belongs, Venugopala Krishna belongs to the same Setti Balija caste of Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose. So, the caste equations would be balanced, if they get into the cabinet.
But now, there is a latest talk doing rounds in the media circles that assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram is also strongly lobbying for the cabinet berth.
Tammineni, who belongs to a hitherto neglected Kalinga caste, has been bringing pressure on Jagan to give him the cabinet post.
Sources said Tammineni had met Jagan along with his wife and put forth his demand.
He reportedly told the chief minister that being a senior leader from Srikakulam, he deserved the cabinet berth and he would go all out to strengthen the party in the district.
If Tammineni is taken into the cabinet, Jagan will have to look for another candidate to chair the assembly.
In all probability, the chance might go to deputy speaker Kona Raghupathi. His father Kona Prabhakar Rao had, in the past, served as the Speaker.
Since Raghupathi is soft-spoken and non-controversial unlike Tammineni, it would also be welcomed by the opposition Telugu Desam Party.
It would also mean doing justice to hitherto neglected Brahmin community, reports said.
