Chief Minister Kirankumar reddy today dropped Textiles Minister Shankar Rao from the Cabinet, according to reports.

Soon after the swearing-in ceremony of the PRP members Mr C. Ramachandraiah and Ganta Srinivasa Rao at the Raj Bhavan, Kirankumar faxed a letter to the Governor informing that he has dropped Shankar Rao from his council of ministers.

Shankar Rao earlier told journalists he would submit his resignation letter to the party president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi next week and not to the Governor. “I have no information on my dismissal from the Cabinet,” he said when questioned on the reports that he would be dropped from the cabinet.

Narasimhan dismisses Shankar Rao

A Raj Bhavan communiqué later said that Governor ESL Narasimhan has agreed to drop Shankar Rao from the Cabinet.

"The governor has accepted the decision of the Chief Minister Kirankumar reddy to drop the textiles minister. Shankar Rao ceases to be the minister from now," said the communiqué, adding that the textiles ministry would be henceforth looked after by the CM himself.

Portfolios allotted to new ministers

Newly inducted ministers Mr C. Ramachandraiah and Ganta Srinivasa Rao of PRP were allotted electricity and electricity portfolios respectively, according to unconfirmed reports.(JUBS)