The earth-shattering electoral victory of NDA alliance in Andhra Pradesh in the recent assembly elections has revived the lost glory of Telugu Desam Party, which is undoubtedly one of the largest regional political outfits in the country. Nara Chandrababu Naidu has once again assumed charge as the Chief Minister of the state.
Two days after the announcement of cabinet ministers, the new government has unveiled the portfolios for all the inductees. While Pawan Kalyan is named the Deputy CM besides entrusting him with crucial ministries, Nara Lokesh is back as IT minister. Meanwhile, TDP state president Kinjarapu Atchunnaidu, a key leader in the party representing the BC community, has been given Agriculture, Marketing and Animal Husbandry sectors.
Now, the latest report is that the TDP high command has names a new BC leader as the state president of the party in the place of Atchunnaidu who will now be busy with his duties as a minister for the next few years. As it has become a tradition for the party to nominate a BC leader as the president in order to keep the promise about prioritising the importance for BCs given in the party, it is now believed that another prominent leader from the same community as the new president.
Reports suggest that Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivas Rao who won the highest majority in the state in the recent assembly elections is set to replace Atchunnaidu in the coveted post. This is a good move by Naidu to give adequate preference to BCs within the party. Already, 8 ministers from his cabinet belong to the BC community. Srikakulam MP Ram Mohan Naidu, who hails from the same community, secured the cabinet berth. Atchunnaidu also secured a prominent Ministry in the state cabinet.
Surprisingly, Naidu didn’t give any preference to Vizag MLAs in his cabinet. Now, the ascension of Palla Srinivas Rao as TDP state president appears to be a strategic move.