Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu constituted his council of ministers tonight, considering their experience and social equations, giving due representation to women as well as backward castes. In all, 19 ministers, including two ministers from Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) ally BJP, were sworn in along with Chandrababu Naidu at a public function at Nagarjuna Nagar, which is 18 km from here, tonight.
Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers. Senior legislators K E Krishna Murthy, Yanamala Ramakrishunudu, Ayyannapatrudu, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, N China Rajappa, Palle Raghunath Reddy, Pattipati Pulla Rao, and Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, who remained loyal to the TDP through thick and thin, were inducted into the new state's first cabinet.
Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who served as a minister in the erstwhile cabinet of Kiran Kumar Reddy and returned to the TDP on the eve of the recent elections, has also been made a minister. Women legislators Paritala Sunita, Kimidi Mrunalini and Peethala Sujatha found place in the council of ministers.
Educationist P Narayana, who is not a legislator yet, has also been sworn in as minister. He is expected to be nominated to the AP Legislative Council soon. BJP MLAs Kamineni Srinivas and P Manikyala Rao were also given cabinet berths, making the TDP ally, a partner in the state government. Late Union minister K Yerran Naidu's younger brother and three-time MLA Atchannaidu has been made a minister for the first time.
First-time MLAs Ravela Kishore Babu and Kollu Ravindra also made it to the cabinet as per caste equations, since Ravela belongs to a scheduled caste while Ravindra is from a backward caste. Of the 19 ministers, two are from scheduled castes and seven are from backward castes. Barring Kadapa, all other districts have been given representation in the cabinet.
Yanamala and Kamineni Srinivas were the only ministers to take their oaths in English, while all others took their oaths in Telugu.
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