Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to expand his Cabinet by the month-end.
Highly placed sources said that Mr. Rao would induct six to eight members into his ministry in the initial phase.
Mr. Rao would like to embark on Cabinet expansion and hold the first session of the new Assembly after conclusion of the President’s annual winter sojourn in Hyderabad from December 21 to December 24. Oath-taking of the legislators and election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker would also be held during this session of the Assembly. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister would visit Delhi to make a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This time, it was stated, Mr. Rao would choose his Cabinet colleagues, basing not on different social parameters and caste combinations, but their capabilities to meet the needs of people in accordance with the priorities of the government. “Only those who are 100% loyal will be given Ministerial berths,” sources indicated.
Reshuffle of officials
Not only Ministers, the Chief Minister wants a major reshuffle of the officials heading various important departments. The heads of the departments would be appointed “strictly based on their commitment and performance”.
Currently, the Chief Minister was stated to be engaged in the exercise of reviewing the existing status in important departments. On top of the list of Mr. Rao are speedy execution of irrigation projects, completion of the Mission Bhagiratha, preparation of a comprehensive plan for development of villages and implementation of all promises made in the election manifesto.
TRS tally
Sources also said that 12 newly elected Congress MLAs had been in touch with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Of them, eight were ready to join the ruling party. The party had won 88 Assembly seats in the recent election, and, its tally would go up to 97, together with seven seats of its friendly party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and two independent MLAs, who extended support to it. In this background, Mr. Rao felt that there was no need to hurry with Cabinet expansion.
After inducting six to eight Ministers in the initial phase, Mr. Rao would complete the formation of his government with the remaining eight odd posts after the Lok Sabha election. It would not be a routine exercise but based on the needs of people.