State cabinet to take oath today

HYDERABAD: The stage is set for swearing-in ceremony of the state cabinet with 25 ministers in the first phase. The swearing-in will be held at Raj Bhavan on Monday at 6.40 pm.
All arrangements have been made at Raj Bhavan for the event. Heavy police bandobust is being made in view of the possibility of presence of large number of Congress workers near Raj Bhavan.
The chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who is now in New Delhi called on the AICC in charge of the state Veerappa Moily and held discussions with him.Reddy could not meet Sonia till late tonight.
According to sources, the new council of ministers will have a blend of new and old faces. While Revenue minister D Prasda Rao, Home minister K Jana Reddy, Agriculture minister N Raghuveera Reddy, Housing minister Botsa Satyanarayana, Finance minister K Rosaiah, Mines minister Sabita Indra Reddy, BC Welfare minister Mukesh Goud, Irrigation minister P Laxmaiah, K Venkata Krishna Reddy, Health minister G Aruna Kumari, P Subash Chandra Bose, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and J C Diwakar Reddy are certain to be re-inducted. Industries minister J Geeta Reddy is being tipped for the post of Speaker.
Among the new faces who are likely to be inducted are chief whip N Kiran Kumar Reddy, N Manohar, Vatti Vasant Kumar, D Sridhar Babu and Komiti Reddy Venkat Reddy. According to Rosaiah, the chief minister may not accommodate first timers. Some surprises could be the inclusion of Bhatti Vikramarka and B Usharani, who defeated Chiranjeevi.