Speculation rife over next Telangana CM

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, January 22 

Rumours are rife in Telangana about the possibility of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) paving the way for the “coronation” of his son and Working President of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) KT Rama Rao (KTR) as the chief minister of the state sometime soon.

Though, the party and family sources have denied any such move, congratulatory messages are growing louder by the day. 

KTR was made the working president of the party during the last tenure of the TRS and he has successfully managed the affairs of the party.

The recent setback to the TRS in the recently concluded Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections have led to the party losing ground and hence the talk of political “anointment”. 

There are reports that party workers, including ministers, MLAs and senior leaders have been congratulating KTR.

Political observers feel that the chief minister may be feeling that the growing influence of the BJP in the state may not return the TRS to power again, so it may be best to hand over the baton to his son during the current term. 

KCR is only 67 years old at present and has no significant health issue that may be forcing him to take such a decision. The only logical reasoning, if at all he is contemplating such a move, could be his view that the party’s charm among the people may be diminishing. 

The speculations have gained ground after Telangana Assembly’s Deputy Speaker T Padma Rao addressed KTR as “chief minister-in-waiting”, in the latter’s presence at a function of the South-Central Railway employees in Secundrabad. 

“I congratulate KT Rama Rao Garu, who is going to become the chief minister of the state very soon, on behalf of the state assembly and also railway employees,” Padma Rao said, amidst loud cheers from the audience.  

KTR did not comment on the deputy speaker’s utterance, giving further rise to speculation.