Pawan Kalyan named Andhra Pradesh deputy CM; CM Naidu allocates cabinet portfolios

Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday named Jana Sena Party president Konidela Pawan Kalyan as his deputy, and made him in-charge of a series of departments, including panchayat raj and rural development and environment, while keeping the crucial portfolios of home, finance, agriculture and urban development for the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Announcing the portfolios for his 24 council of ministers, who were sworn-in along with him earlier this week, Naidu allocated the home and disaster management departments to TDP’s Vangalapudi Anitha and finance, planning and commercial taxes and legislative affairs to party legislator P Keshav.

The department of health and family welfare & medical education – another key portfolio – was handed over to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Y Satya Kumar.

The Jana Sena Party and the BJP are allies of the TDP as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). As per the norms, the cabinet can comprise a maximum of 25 ministers besides the chief minister.

While Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh was assigned the portfolios of human resources development and information technology, electronics and communication, both of which were handled by him during the TDP’s previous stint between 2014 and 2019, party leader Ponguru Narayana was allotted the municipal administration and urban development department, which would be responsible for the development of the Amaravati capital region.

“Congratulations to @PawanKalyan Garu on becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. I congratulate all my colleagues in the cabinet on being assigned their portfolios. Together, we have taken a solemn oath to serve the people of Andhra Pradesh and usher in an era of people’s governance,” Naidu said in a post on X.

“I’m confident that you shall strive to deliver on our people’s expectations as ministers. My best wishes to you all as you embark on this journey of service and devotion,” he added.

Besides panchayat raj and rural development and environment, Kalyan was allocated the rural water supply, environment, forests and science and technology portfolios.

In a post on X, Kalyan thanked the chief minister, saying: “It is indeed a privilege to serve alongside you and our esteemed colleagues in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet. Together, with the guidance of NDA leadership and the collective efforts of our cabinet, we will strive to achieve progress, prosperity and inclusive development for all sections of society.”

Satya Kumar said: “I thank the chief minister for making me a partner in the reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh. With the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the top BJP leadership and Chandrababu Naidu, I am confident I shall do complete justice to the task given to me. I will do my best in heralding a healthy Andhra Pradesh by extending better medical facilities to the people.”

Andhra Pradesh TDP president K Atchannaidu was allotted agriculture, co-operation, marketing, animal husbandry and dairy development & fisheries departments.

Pawan’s senior colleague and Jana Sena political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar was assigned the portfolio of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, while another Jana Sena minister, Kandula Durgesh, was given charge of tourism, culture and cinematography ministry.

Overall, the TDP was given 21 berths, Jana Sena Party three and the BJP one. One berth remains vacant and will be filled at a later stage, a TDP leader said earlier.

Nasyam Mohammed Farook of the TDP will be the minister for law & justice and minority welfare while A Satya Prasad was given the portfolios of revenue and registration & stamps.

Naidu was sworn in as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for a fourth term on Wednesday at an event that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda and Nitin Gadkari, and an array of dignitaries, including top actors of southern cinema. Besides him, 24 MLAs were administered the oath of office and secrecy by governor S Abdul Nazeer at the ceremony at Kesarapalli, near Gannavaram international airport on the outskirts of Vijayawada.

In the assembly elections, the NDA allies won 164 seats in the 175-member state assembly – 135 by the TDP, 21 by the Jana Sena and eight by the BJP. The YSR Congress party, led by outgoing chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, was reduced to 11 assembly seats.