Hyderabad: TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao was unanimously elected leader of the TRS Legislature Party on Wednesday at a meeting of party MLAs at Telangana Bhavan.
Though Mr Rao said he alone would take oath, the invitation card for the ceremony said, “Chief Minister and ministers”. Sources said senior leader Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, panchayat raj minister in the last Cabinet, could be sworn in along with Mr Rao. The oath-taking would be a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Thursday at 1.25 pm.
The MLAs unanimously adopted the resolution moved by Alair MLA Gongadi Sunitha proposing the name of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao as president of the TRSLP. This was seconded by Mr Koppula Eswar.
After the election, Mr Rao, interacting with mediapersons, revealed that he would likely take oath alone as Chief Minister for a second term at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Thursday at 1.25 pm. He disclosed that four to five days later, his Cabinet would take oath in a grand ceremony. He ruled out the possibility of swearing with five ministers on Thursday.
He said that they had to first appoint the protem Speaker and administer the oath to newly elected members. After this, he would finalise his Cabinet by giving proportionate representation to all sections.
Stating that he was the only senior MLA who represented his constituency eight times in the Assembly, he indicated that the names of several senior MLAs, including Mr Redya Naik, Mr Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and others from the TRS and Mr Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, senior MLA of the MIM, were under consideration for protem Speaker. They will remain in the post till the election of the Speaker.
Sources in the party revealed that after his election as TRSLP leader, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao told MLAs to prepare for the challenge of Panchayat Raj elections and elections to Parliament in 2019. Sources disclosed that the party chief instructed his MLAs to ensure the completion of Mission Bhagiratha by the end of this month and ensure that party offices are constructed in each of the district headquarters in all the districts within six months.
Later, 12 MLAs led by Mr Srinivas Reddy, Dr. C. Laxma Reddy and Mr Srinivas Goud met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and informed him about the unanimous election of Mr Rao and requested him to invite the TRS to form government. Mr Rao also sent his formal resignation as caretaker Chief Minister through his personal secretary and it was accepted by the Governor.
