K Chandrashekar Rao expands cabinet sans son, nephew

Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao expanded the state cabinet on Tuesday by adding 10 members but did not accommodate his son KT Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both of whom held key portfolios in the previous government.

Rao had taken oath as CM for the second time on December 13 last year along with just one cabinet member, erstwhile deputy CM MM Ali, who is now state home minister.

While the CM’s son has been made the working president of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), his nephew may contest the upcoming general election, said people aware of the matter.

The 12-member cabinet has six new faces but no women or members of any Scheduled Tribe, although Rao had promised during his election campaign that if he won he would give representation to women and STs in the cabinet. Three of TRS’ 88 MLAs are women. Given the size of the 120-member Assembly, the ruling party can accommodate another six members in the cabinet to take the total to 18. Another round of cabinet expansion may take place after Lok Sabha polls, said a person cited earlier.