Hyderabad: With Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao assuring two berths in the state Cabinet for women, now, the speculation is rife over who’ll get the status of first women ministers in the history of Telangana state. Former deputy speaker and Medak MLA M Padma Devender Reddy, Aleru MLA Gongidi Sunitha, Khanapur MLA Azmira Rekha Naik and MLC Akula Lalitha are in the race for Cabinet ministries. Moreover, Satyavathi Rathod has been nominated as MLC candidate by KCR and she’ll also be a potential contender to become minister. Two of these six woman candidates will become ministers in the second phase of Cabinet expansion.

After attaining statehood in June 2014, Telangana’s first term Assembly didn’t have woman minister. Second term of Assembly will get two women ministers as TRS supremo KCR has assured to induct women into the Cabinet.

With the 119 Assembly seats, Telangana can have 17 ministers. Including chief minister, 11 ministers are already on board leaving space for six more ministers, which are expected to be taken up in the second phase of expansion after Lok Sabha elections.

Munnuru Kapu from BC and ST candidates didn’t figure among 11 ministers and this triggers speculation that in the TRS MLC Akula Lalitha and Satyavathi Rathod may get ministries.