Reconstitute state cabinet: Minister Shankar Rao to CM

Textiles Minister Dr P Shankar Rao has demanded that the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reconstitute his council of ministers and remove all tainted ministers from the cabinet.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, Dr Shankar Rao said that the ongoing CBI's enquiry against Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy's alleged illegal assets has necessitated the removal of some ministers from the cabinet. Without naming any minister, he said anyone, including himself; facing charges of corruption must be removed from the cabinet.

Dr Shankar Rao he would soon be writing another letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asking it to conduct probe into the irregularities in the Jalayagnam, Outer Ring Road and other land allotments on Hyderabad's outskirts. He said these irregularities may be directly or indirectly connected to the disproportionate assets case that the CBI has filed against Jagan Mohan Reddy. He reiterated that the involvement of member of YSR's cabinet must also be probed.

The Minister denied reports that appeared in a section of media levelling charges of corruption against him. He said he had never sought any favour or done any favour to anyone throughout his long political career. He said the media must crosscheck the facts and avoid publishing baseless stories.