Naidu Cabinet Expansion Buzz: Vizag vs Jana Sena Dilemma

March 22, 2026

There is growing buzz in political circles that N. Chandrababu Naidu may soon go for a Cabinet expansion in Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of a few ministers, and with his government nearing the two-year mark, a reshuffle or expansion now seems likely.

One key issue under discussion is the lack of representation for Visakhapatnam district in the current Cabinet. The government has been prioritizing Vizag’s development, and politically too, the city has remained loyal to Telugu Desam Party even during its weakest phase in the 2019 elections. Notably, TDP managed to win only four out of 15 assembly segments in the district—and all four were from Vizag city constituencies.

Given this backdrop, leaders like Palla Srinivasa Rao, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, and Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar are reportedly in the race for a Cabinet berth.

At the same time, Jana Sena Party is pushing for representation, with Konathala Ramakrishna being a strong contender. The party is keen on strengthening its presence in the Uttarandhra region, with leaders like Nagababu eyeing constituencies such as Etcherla, and Pawan Kalyan focusing on agency areas.

However, accommodating Konathala poses a challenge. He belongs to Anakapalli district, which already has representation in the Cabinet through Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha. Dropping her is considered unlikely due to social and political balance factors, including gender and community representation.

This creates a tricky situation—if Konathala is included, it may come at the cost of denying a berth to a Vizag leader.

Currently, Naidu’s Cabinet has 24 ministers, leaving one vacant slot out of the permitted 25. How he balances regional representation and alliance dynamics will be crucial in the expected expansion.

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