The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Cabinet: discontent in Krishna district

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 24, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Cabinet: discontent in Krishna district

By Our Special Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA, MAY 23. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, may have followed the social justice factor in the constitution of his Cabinet, but the absence of some prominent names from Krishna district has left several party leaders and the cadre dissatisfied.

More than seniority and other factors, leaders belonging to the Kamma and Kapu castes, the two dominant communities to which a majority of the MLAs from the district belong, are a disappointed lot since the leaders from their communities did not get adequate representation in the new Cabinet. A major section of Congress leaders cutting across caste lines are sore that the party leadership failed to accommodate the Krishna district Congress committee president and Avanigadda MLA, Mandali Buddha Prasad.

Mr. Buddha Prasad, party leaders say, put in untiring efforts to bring together the party rank and file, which was one of the major factors resulting in the party's excellent performance in the election in the district. "Mr. Buddha Prasad was in the forefront in leading the party's agitations for irrigation water and the coastal highway which brought all the sections into the Congress fold,'' Congress leaders maintain. The selection of Koneru Ranga Rao, hailing from the Scheduled Castes, as well as Pinnamaneni Venkateswara Rao from the Kamma community, has obviously irked party leaders. They are questioning the rationale behind the selection of an SC when the members from Kamma and Kapu communities won in nine out of the 12 seats bagged by the party in the district. The Chief Minister could have selected a Scheduled Caste person from the neighbouring Khammam or other districts leaving the berth for a Kapu in Krishna district, they argue. The selection of Mr. Venkateswara Rao, ignoring senior leaders like Chanumolu Venkata Rao was also not proper, they said, adding that the selection of Mr. Buddha Prasad and Mr. Venkata Rao would have helped the party further consolidate its base in the district.

Congress leaders are, however, hopeful that the lapses would be rectified and the communities would be given due representation in the Cabinet expansion whenever it takes place.

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