Surekha: Old wine in New Bottle

Former minister and Mla Konda Surekha on Wednesday described Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Cabinet as ‘old wine in new bottle’. Talking to media persons on Wednesday here, the staunch supporter of former Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy stated that the Reddy community was given prominence in the Cabinet while neglecting the interests of Backward Class communities. She expressed her displeasure that those who had criticized former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy were given Ministerial posts.

The former minister hinted that the Chief Minister was apprehensive of a revolt in the party by saying that KKR has kept four Ministerial berths vacant for the Praja Rajyam Party in the event of political crisis which could arise if the MLAs loyal to Mr Jaganmohan Reddy break away. She also pointed out that the Chief Minister has intentionally left out two Jagan loyalists-- Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose from his Cabinet.

The MLA also warned the government that it would face serious consequences in the next three years if the takes steps against bifurcating the state and form Telangana. The former minister also demanded that all the Ministers hailing from Telangana, who got accommodation in the KKR Cabinet, should make their stand clear on separate statehood issue. She added that 98 percent of people in the Seemandhra regions were in support of Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s candidature for the Chief Minister’s post.