BC, SC, STs and women get half of chairperson posts

Two years after storming into power in Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress Party government continued in its endeavour to widen the social base by allocating 56% of the 135 nominated posts of chairpersons of various corporations to the party leaders from backward communities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and minorities.

In yet another significant development, 68 of the 135 posts were given to women. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was so particular about 50% posts being given to women that the list had to be revised several times before the final announcement was made on Saturday.

Senior party leaders who have taken part in several brainstorming sessions said that the exhaustive list of chairpersons had maintained a fine balance among the various caste groups, regional balances and could provide an opportunity for party leaders to showcase their skills in administration.

Minister for Backward Classes Ch. Venugopala Krishna, Minister for Home and Disaster Management M. Sucharita, Adviser, Public Affairs, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, MP Mopidevi Venkata Ramana and MP Nandigam Suresh released the list at Vijayawada.

A cursory glance at the list showed that care has been taken to allot at least one major corporation to a district. Gadala Bangaramma (BC) from Vizianagaram has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP Regional Board, Malla Vijaya Prasad as the chairperson of the AP Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation and K. Raju Kammila from Visakhapatnam as the chairperson of the New and Renewable Energy Corporation (NEDCAP).

Davuluri Dorababu from East Godavari has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP State Housing Corporation and Dwarampudi Bhaskar Reddy as the chairperson of the AP State Civil Supplies Corporation.

Vanka Ravidranath from West Godavari district has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP MSME Corporation and Dayala Naveen Babu as the vice-chairman of the AP Labour Welfare Board.

Kin of MLAs

However, the decision to nominate close family members of MLAs has raised attention as some party leaders felt the opportunity could have been given to others. Arun Kumar Mondikota, brother of MLA Monditoka Jaganmohan Rao of Nandigama (Krishna district, has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP Forest Development Corporation. Likewise, Aremanda Vara Prasad Reddy, whose wife Vijaya Sarada Reddy is the vice-chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh School Education, Regulatory and Monitoring Commission, has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP Tourism Development Corporation.

Senior Kapu leader from Vijayawada Adapa Seshagiri has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP State Kapu Welfare and Development Corporation.

Guntur district has bagged six posts. Apart from Mr. Vara Prasad Reddy, M. Seshagiri Rao (AP Grandhalaya Parishad), Kurra Naga Malleswari (History Academy), Sk. Asha Begum (Sheik Corporation) and Muntaz Pathan (AP State Handicap and Senior Citizen Corporation) were given posts.

In Krishna district, Tatineni Padmavathy (APRTC Regional Board) and Mohana Rao (AP State Kamma Welfare and Development Corporation) have been nominated.

Jupudi Prabhakara Rao, who had switched loyalties from the TDP, has been nominated as Adviser, Social Justice.

Nellore district has bagged several important corporations. Pernati Susmita, wife of Syam Prasad Reddy, was nominated as the chairperson of the AP State Seed Development Corporation, Ponka Devasena, wife of K. Siva Kumar Reddy, was nominated as the chairperson of the Swatchandhra Corporation and Mettukuru Chiranjeevi Reddy as the chairperson of the AP State Police Housing Corporation.

Aslam from Chittoor has been nominated as the chairperson of the AP Mineral Development Corporation.