TDP chief and chief minister designate, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Monday reached Amaravati from New Delhi. He went to Delhi to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues.
On return to Amaravati, Chandrababu Naidu closeted with the party senior leaders at his Undavalli residence. He is consulting the party senior leaders on his cabinet composition. He is taking the views of the party senior leaders on whom to be included in the cabinet. He is also said to be taking views of the leaders on whether to include Jana Sena and BJP in the cabinet or keep them outside.
Sources say that Chandrababu Naidu wants both Jana Sena and the BJP to be part of his cabinet. He wanted Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan also to be part of his cabinet. He is also ready to give the deputy chief minister post to Pawan Kalyan, sources say. However, it is not known whether Pawan Kalyan is ready to accept the deputy chief minister post or stay away from the cabinet.
Sources say that Pawan Kalyan wants to be the convenor of the NDA in Andhra Pradesh and thus build strong relations with the BJP leadership at the Centre. He is in favour of spending more time for the alliance rather than getting locked up in the cabinet post.
He held discussions with party senior leader Nandendla Manohar on his possible joining the cabinet or keeping away from the cabinet. The two leaders have held prolonged discussions on the issue and posted it to Tuesday. The two leaders would hold a meeting once again on Tuesday morning, and give their views to Chandrababu Naidu, who is scheduled to take oath on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan also held a meeting with the party leaders and newly elected MLAs at the Mangalagiri party office on his return from Delhi. He is said to have told the MLAs and MPs to adhere to the party policies of keeping the alliance alive and active.
