Hyderabad: A festival atmosphere pervaded the Telangana Secretariat on Sunday with thousands of followers, well-wishers and family members of three new ministers trooping in with bouquets, garlands and sweets to congratulate and greet them.
Three ministers — Mohammed Mahmood Ali, T. Harish Rao and P. Mahender Reddy — assumed charge at the chosen auspicious time amid fanfare.While Mr Ali took charge as Deputy Chief Minister holding revenue portfolio, Mr Rao assumed office as minister for major irrigation and marketing and Mr Reddy as minister for transport.
Mr Rao and Mr Reddy performed puja at their specially decked up chambers. Despite Sunday being a holiday, the T-secretariat was abuzz with activity with new ministers taking charge.
Thousands of TRS party activists from Siddipet, the home constituency of Mr Rao, and from Tandur in Ranga Reddy district, the home constituency of Mr Reddy came to Secretariat in hundreds of vehicles, which created traffic problem inside the premises. The entire parking lots were jam packed. Cars and other four-wheelers were parked wherever the space was available. The haphazard parking by motorists further compounded the traffic problem. Cops had a tough time clearing the traffic.
Vehicles were also parked outside the Secretariat towards NTR Gardens and Mint Compound with no parking space available inside.
The chambers of ministers, which hardly can accommodate 20 people at a time, were filled with nearly hundred people leading to suffocation. Security personnel of ministers tried in vain to prevent the followers from entering the chambers in large numbers.
Media personnel who came for coverage had a tough time in taking photographs of ministers signing first files and taking notes of press conference of ministers.
Though Mr Rao issued a public statement on Saturday requesting his followers not to come with bouquets, garlands and shawls to greet him, it seemed to have no effect. Large number of his followers presented him bouquets and shawls and took photographs with him.
While 11 ministers took oath along with Chief Minister K.Chandreshekar Rao on June 2, only 8 ministers took charge till Sunday.
Education minister G.Jagadish Reddy, forest and environment minister Jogu Ramanna and excise and prohibition minister T.Padma Rao Goud are yet to take charge. They are scheduled to take charge on Monday.
All the ministers got down to business of acquainting themselves with the new department by holding meetings with department officials concerned.
