Nine MLAs from Krishna dist in race for cabinet berths

As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comprising the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form the government in the State on June 12, many MLAs from the combined Krishna district are hopeful of securing ministerial positions. .
For the first time in the history of the district, the NDA has won 16 MLA seats. A total of nine MLAs from the TDP, JSP, and BJP are hoping to get ministerial positions.
Sriram Rajagopal alias Tataiah (Jaggayyapet), Tangirala Sowmya (Nandigama), Gadde Rama Mohana Rao (Vijayawada East), Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao (Vijayawada Central), Kolusu Pardha Saradhi (Nuzvid), and Kollu Ravindra (Machilipatnam) are the key contenders. Yalamanchili Sujana Chowdary (Vijayawada West) and Kamineni Srinivas (Kaikaluru) from BJP, and Mandali Buddha Prasad (Avanigadda) from JSP are also prominent aspirants.
After consulting with BJP and JSP leaderships, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu will finalise the list of ministers. Including the Chief Minister, as many as 25 MLAs will get ministerial positions in the State. The ministers have to be selected from all 13 combined districts taking into consideration caste equations, the sources said.
Out of the 24 ministerial positions, one must be allotted to senior leader and TDP MLC Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. The remaining 23 positions are to be distributed among TDP, JSP and BJP based on the number of their seats. According to sources, Krishna district will get three to four ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet. Taking into consideration all equations, priority should be given to seniority and commitment, the sources added.
In the combined Krishna district, Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rama Mohan Rao is the senior most TDP legislator. He was elected four times as MLA and once as MP. Also, he is a hat-trick winner from the Vijayawada East Assembly segment. So, he is expecting a key post in the cabinet. Another senior MLA Kolusu Pardha Saradhi (Nuzvid), Sriram Rajgopal (Jaggayyapet), and Kollu Ravindra (Machilipatnam) are also expecting minister posts.
Meanwhile, TDP politburo member and second-time MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao (Vijayawada East) and another second-time MLA Tangirala Sowmya (Nandiga) are also in the race. Senior MLA Bode Prasad (Penamaluru) also expects a cabinet berth. If Chandrababu Naidu chooses Gadde Rama Mohana Rao, Bode Prasad will not get the berth. However, in the SC quota, another second-time MLA Tangirala Sowmya is expecting a berth in the cabinet.
After the bifurcation of the State, Kollu Ravindra held the minister post two times. However, he may not secure a cabinet berth this time, the sources said. Meanwhile, Yalamanchili Satyanarayana Chowdary alias Sujana Chowdary (Vijayawada West) and Dr Kamineni Srinivas (Kaikaluru) are aspirants for the cabinet berths from BJP. The party sources said that priority will be given to Sujana Chowdary. On the other hand, the only MLA from the JSP in the district, Mandali Buddha Prasad, is also expecting a key position in the cabinet.
Interestingly, all three MLAs of Vijayawada are in the ministerial race, but it will depend upon caste equations, the sources said. Gadde Rama Mohana Rao and Sujana Chowdary belong to the Kamma community while Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao hails from the Kapu community. Here, one from the Kamma community will get the cabinet berth. Moreover, the sources said that if the important MLAs have not been accommodated in the cabinet, the other important positions, such as Chief Whip, Government Whip and Deputy Speaker positions will be offered.