HYDERABAD: Ending speculation over elevation of Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao as chief minister, his father and CM K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Sunday that he would continue in the post for the next 10 years.
Warning ministers and MLAs against speaking about possible change of guard in Telangana, KCR said he would throw out leaders (from the party) who say KTR would assume charge as the new CM and create confusion.
“I am all right and will continue to be CM for next 10 years. If there is any change, I will take you (MLAs and other elected representatives) into confidence and inform you. But some people have crossed the party’s discipline and gave statements on possible change of CM,” KCR told elected representatives and party leaders at the party’s executive committee meeting.
“I won’t spare anybody and kick them out and teach them a lesson, if anybody continues their loose talk,” KCR added.
There was speculation in party circles that KTR would be made chief minister and KCR would take a plunge into national politics. Many ministers and MLAs gave statements that KTR was a capable and efficient leader and there was nothing wrong in making him CM. Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, V Srinivas Goud, Eatala Rajender, Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Mohd Mahmood Ali gave statements in favour of KTR.
They said KTR is efficient and capable and there is nothing wrong in it. While deputy speaker T Padma Rao went a step ahead and congratulated KTR at a function in Secunderabad, Bodhan MLA Shakeel Ahmed stated that he would like to see KTR as CM during the next assembly session itself.
This led to confusion in the party circles and government over rumours of KTR stepping into KCR’s shoes in the second or third week of February. “To clear the air, the TRS supremo made the remarks on the new CM voluntarily,” a minister said.
KCR did not speak about the BJP and the Centre, which was widely anticipated after the setbacks in Dubbak bypoll and GHMC elections. “As chief minister, in the interest of the state, I will take decisions based on the situation,” he reportedly commented.
He said TRS should win both in Khammam and Warangal municipal corporation elections and the Nagarjunasagar bypoll with a thumping majority and the party cadre should work in that direction unitedly.