As YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is set to be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on May 30, scores of MLAs and well-wishers made a beeline at Jagan's residence on Friday, many of them lobbying for the ministerial berths. Jagan’s party won a huge mandate of 151 seats out of the 175 Assembly seats in the state
While a clear picture hasn't emerged, it is speculated among party circles that Jagan is considering the names of senior leaders who were his father's loyalists, who extended their loyalty to him after his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s demise, and helped Jagan build a party from scratch.
According to sources, Peddireddy Ramchandra Reddy may get Home Ministry, Dharmana Prasad Rao may be given Revenue Department and Buggana Rajendranath would likely get Finance Ministry.
Adimulapu Suresh, Tellam Balaraju, Kona Raghupathi, Dr M Jagan Mohan Rao are also in the list of aspirants. Reportedly, Dr Jagan Mohan Rao, Dalit MLA from Nandigama is lobbying for Health ministry.
Tellam Balaraju who won Polavaram assembly seat with over 40,000 votes, may get the Tribal Minister portfolio and actor RK Roja Selvamani MLA from Nagari may get Electricity, say sources.
Gadikota Sreekanth Reddy, senior MLA believed to Jagan's close aide is likely to get Municipal and Urban Development portfolio.
Women leaders K Bhagyalakshmi and Taveti Vanita names are also being considered for Child and Women Welfare and Social Welfare portfolios respectively.
Though there were several other names doing the rounds it may take a day or two before a clear picture emerges.
Meanwhile, senior leaders Peddireddy Mithun Reddy, K Parthasarathy, G Sreekanth Reddy and K Sreenivasulu told media that the elected MLAs will elect the YSRCP Legislature Party leader on Saturday at a meeting at the Tadepalli camp office before meeting Governor ESL Narasimhan on the same day in Hyderabad.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy trumped the ruling TDP party and reduced them to a mere 23 Assembly seats. In the Jagan wave that swept the state, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan lost their respective seats from Mangalagiri, Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram. Pawan had contested from two seats--Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram.
Besides winning 151 Assembly seats, the YSRCP also won 22 Lok Sabha seats and emerged as the fourth largest party in the Parliament after BJP, Congress and DMK.
Jagan’s swearing-in ceremony will be held in Vijayawada on May 30.