Amaravati: Ministerial berths for Appalaraju,Venugopalakrishna

Amaravati: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is all set to expand his Cabinet with two new faces - Dr S Appalaraju and Chelluboyina Venugopalakrishna - in the place of Mopidevi Venkatakrishna and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, who have been elected Rajya Sabha members recently.

It is said that Jagan was careful in picking up the MLAs from the same caste of those two MPs to maintain social balance and without giving rise to any controversy or so.

It is learnt that the two MLAs were intimated of this development and asked to go over to Amaravati on Wednesday for swearing-in. While Appalaraju will be given Marketing portfolio, Venugopalakrishna will be the Revenue minister.

This bring curtains down on the long speculation over the same.

The decision could also come as a dampener for some aspiring to become ministers. Though it was earlier felt that Jagan might go in for some rejig of the portfolios of the ministers, it is learnt that there would be no such shuffling.

As for the MLC vacancies, Jagan is said to have picked up Moshen Raju and Zakia Khanum under Governor's quota for the same. A letter recommending the two names has been sent to Governor Biswabhusan Harihandan, it is learnt.

Ministers' resignations accepted

Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan on Monday accepted the resignations of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Revenue Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Minister for Animal Husbandry Mopidevi Venkataramana with immediate effect on the advice of the Chief Minister. The two portfolios would be held by the Chief Minister until alternative arrangements were made, according to Governor's secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena.