Hyderabad, May 26: Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has constituted his council of ministers by inducting 20 new faces in the 35 member-strong team while dropping four senior members of his previous cabinet.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at a grand function at the Raj Bhavan at Hyderabad on Monday.
Those dropped include former home minister K Jana Reddy, who set a record by serving a full-term in the post from 2004 to 2009, J C Diwakar Reddy, who faced allegations of embezzlement of funds during the previous stint, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy whose performance as a minister had come under the scanner and R Damodar Reddy who had to make way for his brother this time.
As many as 14 ministers in Rajashekhara Reddy’s previous cabinet lost the 2009 elections.
While retaining three women members from his previous team, the Chief Minister included three more new faces, increasing the number of women in the cabinet to six.
While the cabinet is fully loaded with members of the legislative assembly, the only member of legislative council who found a berth was K Rosaiah, one of the senior most ministers in the state.
He did not contest the assembly polls this time because of his old age.
–Agencies