HYDERABAD: In a surprise move that reflects the change in the functioning of Kiran Kumar Reddy, the chief minister is likely to induct his rival, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, into his Cabinet.The MLA from Piler, who is a fellow Chittoor native, will be among the old and new faces taken into the Cabinet in the reconstitution that is expected soon. Ramachandra Reddy was inducted into the Cabinet by the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy when he returned to power for a second term in 2009. Kiran Kumar was miffed but was placated with the post of speaker.Ramachandra Reddy continued in the ministry during the regime of K Rosaiah but was dropped when Kiran Kumar took over as chief minister in November last year. Eight months in the saddle -- during which he tasted defeats in the Kadapa bypolls and elections to the Legislative Council in his home district -- appeared to have prompted a change in Kiran Kumar’s perspective.Ramachandra Reddy played spoilsport in the defeat of the Congress nominee in the Chittoor MLC election.Sources said a prominent leader held negotiations with Ramachandra Reddy on behalf of Kiran Kumar recently. The deal: Ramachandra Reddy would back the chief minister if he is taken back into the Cabinet. The Congress high command as well as Kiran Kumar have now come to realize that internal troubles in the party have to be sorted out first before getting to grips with the two big issues: Telangana and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.Indications are that the chief minister’s approach has changed. A few days ago, he attended a meeting of party leaders along with PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana at Gandhi Bhavan, lending an ear to their grievances. On Sunday, he took the initiative to spend more than an hour with Rajya Sabha member K V P Ramachandra Rao.Having filled important vacancies such as PCC chief, speaker and the deputy chief minister, the Congress leadership is said to be keen to rejig the cabinet in order to give much-needed momentum to the government and the party. Besides the induction of some MLAs from the erstwhile PRP, the reshuffle might involve the axing of some members of the present Cabinet, apart from filling vacancies that arose after the resignations of ministers Y S Vivekananda Reddy and Jupalli Krishna Rao.
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