3 in race for Cabinet posts

Warangal: With the election results out on Tuesday (December 11) giving a landslide victory to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the people’s focus now invariably on whom from the erstwhile Warangal district will get an opportunity to make it to KCR Cabinet.

In previous TRS’ Cabinet, the erstwhile district had Kadiyam Srihari (Deputy Chief Minister) and Azmeera Chandulal (Tribal Welfare and Tourism Minister) in addition to the Speaker post held by Sirikonda Madhusudhana Chary. Now with Chandulal and Chary losing the elections, there is an opportunity for other legislators to latch on to it.

However, it’s difficult to predict, who is going to become a minister in KCR’s Cabinet, as there are at least three candidates – DS Redya Naik, Errabelly Dayakar Rao and Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar - in the race for ministry posts based on their seniority. It may be noted here TRS won 10 of the 12 constituencies in the erstwhile Warangal district.

Redya Naik, who won six times from Dornakal constituency, is one of the most senior legislators in the erstwhile district. Naik, who was elected on Congress ticket in 2014, joined the TRS in the same year. He worked as a minister in YS Rajasekhara Reddy government.

Errabelly Dayakar Rao, who began his political career with the Telugu Desam, had so far elected to Assembly six times. Rao was elected thrice from Wardhannapet constituency in 1994, 1999 and 2004 before the delimitation and since then thrice from Palakurthi. He was also Lok Sabha member for a brief period from 2008 to 2009. 

Errabelly who won on TDP ticket in 2014 joined the TRS in 2016. Even though it was touted that he would be given a minister post, he believed to have turned down the offer. However, this time around he may be accommodated in the Cabinet.

Vinay Bhaskar is the younger brother of Pranay Bhaskar, a minister in NTR government. He entered into politics following his brother’s demise. Vinay, who is said to be a close associate of KT Rama Rao, became a Corporator after joining the TRS. He was elected to the Assembly four times including a by-poll.

The other TRS legislators, who were elected to the Assembly twice or above from the erstwhile Warangal district – Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy, Challa Dharma Reddy, Banoth Shankar Naik and Aroori Ramesh. 

Peddi Sudarshan Reddy (Narsampet) and Nannapuneni Narender - are first timers to Assembly. Thatikonda Rajaiah, who was made Deputy Chief Minister in 2014 by KCR, didn’t last long in his post for inexplicable reasons. Rajaiah, who won four times from Station Ghanpur including a by-poll, is unlikely to get an opportunity in KCR’s Cabinet, it’s speculated in political circles.