Andhra Pradesh cabinet expanded

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy on Thursday expanded his three-year-old ministry by inducting 17 members, taking its strength to 41.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy on Thursday expanded his three-year-old ministry by inducting 17 members, taking its strength to 41.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

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This was the first expansion after Reddy took over the reins of the state in May 2004.

None of the members of the present cabinet were dropped.

Contrary to earlier speculation, no one was inducted as deputy chief minister.

Of the 17 members inducted in the cabinet, eight belong to the Telangana region that is witnessing a movement for a separate state.

G Arunakumari from Chittoor district was the lone woman inducted in the cabinet.

The new ministers are G Arunakumari, M Buddha Prasad, S Chandrasekhar, R Changa Reddy, G Chinna Reddy, D Raja Narasimham, D Damodar Reddy, M Hanumantha Rao, M Mukesh Gaud, T Jeevan Reddy, A Ramanarayana Reddy, J Ratnakar Rao, P Subhash Chandra Bose, K Venkata Krishna Reddy, M Venkat Ramana Rao, V Venkatewsara Rao and Maganti Babu.

Assembly Speaker K Suresh Reddy, the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues were present at the swearing-in.