Deputy CM in AP???

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, is likely to elevate the tourism minister, Dr J. Geeta Reddy, to the post of deputy chief minister in the Cabinet reshuffle slated to take place before the commencement of the Assembly budget session next month.

Mr Rosaiah is proposing the deputy chief ministership to revive a key facet of the Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956.The agreement signed by Telangana and Andhra leaders before the formation of Andhra Pradesh had several provisions to prevent discrimination against Telangana.

The Chief Minister’s attempt to revivify it should be seen in the context of the ongoing struggle for a separate Telangana.

If Dr Geeta Reddy is not chosen, another MLA from the powerful ‘Reddy’ community would get the post.

The Chief Minister also wants to induct the Speaker, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, in the Cabinet. He will be allotted the finance portfolio that is presently being held by the Chief Minister himself.

Mr Rosaiah will put his reshuffle proposals before the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, when he goes to Delhi to attend the Chief Ministers’ conference on price rise on January 27.

He is hoping that by the beginning of the budget session, the problems relating to resignations by Congress MLAs from Telangana region would have been sorted out.

But if the Telangana issue stretches beyond January, he will go for the revamp only after completion of the budget session, as by convention no reshuffle or expansion of ministry takes place during the legislative session.

The Chief Minister is presently holding key portfolios such as finance, excise, power, commercial taxes, and women and child welfare.