Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inducted Appala Raju and C. Srinivasa Venu Gopala Krishna as ministers in his cabinet on Wednesday. The AP governor Bishwa Bushan Hari Chandan administered the oath at Raj Bhavan with the new ministers, in a simple ceremony. AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and other VIPs attended the ceremony.

Palasa MLA Seidiri Appala Raju representing in Srikakulam District, sworn-in-as cabinet minister. He took oath as a minister in the name of god. Another MLA C. Srinivasa Venu Gopal Krishna representing to Rama Chandra Puram Constituency in West Godavari District took oath as a minister of AP in the name of god.

Another minister Dharmana Krishna Das got promotion as Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and also took oath on Wednesday as Deputy Chief Minister of AP. Later Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy allotted the portfolios to the newly sworn ministers. Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das got revenue, stamps and registrations departments, Seidiri Appala Raju got Fisheries and Animal husbandry departments, and C. Srinivasa Venu Gopal Krishna got BC welfare.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took the expansion with two ministers, due to the resignations of ministers P. Subash Chandra Bose and Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, both are MLCs. P. Subash Chandra Bose and Mopidevi Venkata Ramana are elected as Rajya Sabha MPs recently. The two vacancies in the cabinet have been filled up with the legislatures from the two castes of Subhash Chandra Bose and Venkata Ramana.

While Gopala Krishna represents Setti Balija Community of the former minister P. Subash Chandra Bose, Appala Raju represents the Fisherman Community belongs to Mopidevi Venkata Ramana. Both Appala Raju and Gopala Krishna are first time legislatures. There were also some changes in the portfolios.

Roads and buildings minister Dharmana Krishna Das has been elevated as Deputy Chief Minister and now gets the revenue portfolio, which was held by Bose earlier. Dharmana’s R & B portfolio would now be handled by Gopala Krishna, while the fisheries portfolio earlier held by Mopidevi has been given to Appala Raju. However an official communication on the change in portfolios is yet to reach the governor for his approval.