The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday designated Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan as the Deputy Chief Minister.
The actor-turned-politician has been allotted Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Environment, Forests, and Science and Technology portfolios.
According to official Telugu Desam Party sources, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh was given Human Resources Development, Information Technology and Communication portfolios.
Along with Naidu, as many as 24 ministers were sworn in on Wednesday.
Anitha Vangalapudi would be the Home Minister.
P Narayana was allotted one of the key departments, Municipal Administration, which would be responsible for the development of the Amaravati capital region.
The 55-year-old actor-turned politicianwon from Pithapuram Assembly constituency in the recently concluded elections.
Earlier in the day, Kalyan’s X handle had reposted a post addressing him as the deputy chief minister, dropping a hint that an announcement to this effect is expected.
Jana Sena sources said that Pawan Kalyan “is happy” with the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development portfolio as he had earlier said that he wants to bring “gram swaraj” to Andhra Pradesh. Kalyan had also “personally requested” for the Environment and Forests portfolio as he wants to curb red sand smuggling in Andhra Pradesh and reduce instances of human-animal conflict, the sources said.