Jagan factor has CM delay rejig

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, is likely to delay the Cabinet reshuffle further with intelligence reports warning that ambitious MLAs denied berths may switch over to the camp of rebel MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, posing a threat to the government.

At the same time, Mr Rosaiah is facing incessant pressure from his supporters to induct new faces in the Cabinet soon.

There are at least 20 aspirants both from Assembly and Legislative Council who are looking for ministerial berths, including the former ministers, Mr J.C. Diwakar Reddy and Mr K. Jana Reddy.

What adds to the Chief Minister’s problem is the confusion of the Congress high command on what Jagan has in mind.

The high command is not sure whether the young Kadapa MP will stay on in the party as a dissident or will break off after his Odarpu Yatra.

In this context, many Congress leaders feel that the high command would ask the Chief Minister not to go for a reshuffle for the time being.

Earlier, Mr Rosaiah had said that he would go for a reshuffle after the by-elections in the 12 Assembly segments and had even hinted that he might induct some from the legislative council. The Chief Minister had evaluated the performance of the existing 33 ministers to refurbish the image of the government. He was keen on removing at least four to six ministers.

Mr Rosaiah feels that unless he has his own team of ministers it would be very difficult to run the administration which is facing criticism of being insensitive and non-performing.

He also wanted to bring in more representatives of the scheduled castes and backward communities into the cabinet. All these plans may now have to be put on hold.