Three Cabinet berths for Joint East Godavari

Rajamahendravaram : Three from the joint East Godavari district got berths in the state Cabinet. Jana Sena chief and Pithapuram MLA Pawan Kalyan, Nidadavolu Jana Sena MLA Kandula Durgesh, and TDP MLA Vasamsetti Subhash, who won from Ramachandrapuram got seats in the Cabinet. Remarkably, all these three have won as MLAs for the first time. From the beginning, it was known that Pawan Kalyan will have a seat in the Cabinet. Kandula Durgesh and Vasamsetti Subhash have come forward exceptionally.

Pawan from Kakinada district, Subhash from Konaseema, and Durgesh from East Godavari got ministerial posts, thus all the three new districts of the joint East Godavari got representation. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, who were ministers from East Godavari in the previous cabinet, did not get a place in this cabinet.

Pawan grows from movie star to political hero

Pawan Kalyan made his film debut in 1996 as Megastar Chiranjeevi’s brother. He entered politics in 2008. At that time, he acted as the youth wing president of the Praja Rajyam Party.

After that, he set up the Common Man Protection Force (CMPF) Trust. Pawan founded the Jana Sena Party in 2014 after the Praja Rajyam Party merged with the Congress.

He did not contest the 2014 elections by supporting the alliance of Telugu Desam and BJP and contributed to their victory.

The Jana Sena, which contested the elections in 2019, had a bitter experience. Pawan Kalyan lost both the places he contested. The party got only one MLA seat in the state, and that MLA also left Jana Sena and joined with YSRCP. The NDA alliance formed on Pawan’s initiative created history by winning 164 Assembly seats and 21 MP seats in the state. Jana Sena contested for 21 Assembly and two Parliament seats and won all of them.

Durgesh rises from NGO to State Cabinet Minister

Kandula Durgesh, who belongs to the Kapu community served as the president of the joint East Godavari District unit of Jana Sena Party. Initially serving through an NGO, Durgesh also acted as a film producer. He entered the political arena through the Congress party.

Also worked as MLC from 2004-2010 and worked as president of East Godavari District Congress.

In the 2014 elections, he contested as Rajahmundry MP candidate from Congress and lost. He joined YSRCP in December 2016. Later, he joined the Jana Sena Party in August 2018. He contested as MLA from Rajahmundry Rural in the 2019 Assembly elections and lost. He won the 2024 election from Nidadavolu and assumed the post of minister. Speaking to ‘The Hans India,’ Durgesh said he felt lucky to be a key partner in the efforts undertaken by TDP chief Chandrababu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, and BJP for the reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh.

Voluntary service makes Subhash a leader

Vasamsetti Subash belongs to the Settibalija (BC) community. He won as a TDP candidate from Ramachandrapuram. Subhash gained a foothold in the BC community through the SAF voluntary organisation. Initially, he worked as joint secretary of YSRCP state youth wing. After the Amalapuram riots, he left YSRCP and joined the TDP.

Vasamsetti Subhash said that joining the TDP, getting the MLA ticket, and getting a position in the Cabinet all happened in just four months. He said that he will take this post as an advantage and work for the party and people.