Seventeen new ministers were inducted into the Congress ministry in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning.
Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at a simple ceremony that began at 7.45 am and lasted 38 minutes.
Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, his cabinet colleagues, party MLAs and leaders were present on the occasion.
With the swearing-in of the new ministers, the strength of the Congress Ministry has gone up to 41.
Seven of the newly-inducted ministers have had ministerial stints earlier. The other 10 have become ministers for the first time, though they have served as MLAs for two, three or more terms.
Five of the new ministers are sons of former ministers, and one is a nephew of a former chief minister.
The chief minister has tried to accommodate the dominant castes as well as the Backward Classes and other weaker sections and to give representation to districts which hitherto had no members in the cabinet.
Only one lady member has been inducted.
The new ministers are: Ms Galla Aruna Kumari, Mandali Buddha Prasad, Sambani Chandrasekhar, Reddivari Chenga Reddy, Dr Gillella Chinna Reddy, Cilarapu Damodar Raja Narasimha, Ramreddy Damodar Reddy, Murugudu Hanumantha Rao, Tatiparthi Jeevan Reddy, Mula Mukesh Goud, Anam Ram Narayan Reddy, Juvvadi Ratnakar Rao, Pilli Subash Chandra Bose, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, Vanama Venkateswara Rao and Maganti Venkateswara Rao.
By Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
