Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu appointed Jana Sena Party president Konidela Pawan Kalyan as his deputy, entrusting him with several key departments, including Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, and Environment. This move is part of Naidu’s strategy to distribute cabinet portfolios among his coalition partners while retaining control over crucial ministries such as Home, Finance, Agriculture, and Urban Development for the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Announcing the new cabinet allocations, Naidu designated Home and Disaster Management to TDP’s Vangalapudi Anitha and Finance, Planning, Commercial Taxes, and Legislative Affairs to legislator P Keshav. The Health and Family Welfare & Medical Education portfolio was given to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Y Satya Kumar, highlighting the coalition between the TDP, Jana Sena Party, and BJP under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Nara Lokesh, Naidu’s son, was assigned the Human Resources Development and Information Technology, Electronics, and Communication portfolios, continuing his previous responsibilities from the TDP’s 2014-2019 term. Ponguru Narayana was allotted the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, which includes overseeing the development of the Amaravati capital region.
Expressing his congratulations on social media, Naidu praised Kalyan’s appointment as Deputy Chief Minister and emphasized the collaborative effort required to meet the expectations of Andhra Pradesh’s citizens. Kalyan, in his response, expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and reaffirmed his commitment to working towards progress and inclusive development in the state.
Y Satya Kumar thanked Naidu and the NDA leadership for the opportunity to contribute to the state’s reconstruction, particularly in enhancing medical facilities. Other notable appointments included K Atchannaidu as the head of Agriculture, Cooperation, Marketing, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Development & Fisheries, while Nadendla Manohar of Jana Sena took charge of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs. Kandula Durgesh was given the Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Ministry.
The new cabinet consists of 21 ministers from the TDP, three from Jana Sena Party, and one from the BJP, with one position remaining vacant for future allocation. Nasyam Mohammed Farook of the TDP will manage Law & Justice and Minority Welfare, while A Satya Prasad oversees Revenue and Registration & Stamps.
Chandrababu Naidu was sworn in for his fourth term as Chief Minister in a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, and prominent personalities from the southern film industry. The NDA coalition secured a significant victory in the assembly elections, winning 164 out of 175 seats, with the TDP claiming 135, Jana Sena 21, and BJP eight. The opposition YSR Congress Party, led by outgoing Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, was left with just 11 seats.
