KCR to take oath as Telangana CM on June 2

Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Thursday invited TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao to form government in Telangana, which would come into existence as the 29th State of India on June 2.

The swearing-in ceremony would be held at Raj Bhavan here on June 2 at 8.15 am, a Raj Bhavan press communique said.

TRS has secured majority in the recent assembly elections by bagging 63 out of the 119 seats in Telangana and Mr. Rao has been elected as leader of the TRS legislature party.

“Congratulating Sri K Chandrasekhar Rao, on his election as the Leader, the Hon’ble Governor has sent him an invitation to form the government. The Hon’ble President of India is being addressed separately for revocation of the Presidential proclamation,” the press communique said.

June 2 is the ‘Appointed Day’ when Telangana and (residuary) Andhra Pradesh would come into existence as separate states.

Mr. Narasimhan was on Wednesday given additional charge of the proposed state of Telangana.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said on Wednesday the President has appointed Mr. Narasimhan to discharge the functions of the Governor of Telangana, in addition to his present duties as Andhra Pradesh Governor until a permanent arrangement is made.

KCR Dashes Off Letter to President Against Merger Move

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao has dashed off a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him not to give assent to the ordinance seeking merger of seven mandals in Khammam district with residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrasekhara Rao, in his letter late on Wednesday night, argued against promulgation of the ordinance altering the boundaries of the new Telangana state, bypassing the sovereign powers of Parliament.

He said alteration of the boundaries of Telangana by deleting seven mandals has to come in the form of a bill before the President and it has to be sent to the Assemblies of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh for expression of their views and then both the Houses of Parliament should approve the bill after duly considering the views of the states, and finally such bill should come before the President for approval.

He said circumventing this democratic procedure for no extraordinary reason, but only for satisfying ruling BJP’s ally Telugu Desam, which is opposing the formation of Telangana state, is highly unconstitutional.

He said removing seven mandals from Telangana and adding them to AP is to facilitate inundation of hundreds of villages of the tribal, against their will, under a project called Polavaram, which was not approved by the competent authorities in the Union government. The best way forward for the project is to redesign it.

He said the project also affects the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, which are also opposed to it. The real motive behind this hurried ordinance is to transfer Lower Sileru Hydel Power Project (450 mw) from Telangana to Andhra. This project lies in one of the seven mandals which are proposed to be transferred to Andhra, he said.

Chandrasekhara Rao argued that there were no extraordinary circumstances that emerged all of a sudden, warranting issue of an ordinance. The circumstances which existed when Parliament considered the AP Reorganisation Bill during February 2014 did not change now to justify issue of an ordinance, he said.

He said it was unfortunate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chosen an undemocratic course of promulgation of ordinance to alter the boundaries of the new state of Telangana. Narendra Modi’s council of ministers is asking the President to exercise powers which he does not have under the Constitution. Chandrasekhara Rao said.

Telangana: Total Shutdown in New state, Buses go off Roads, Passengers Stranded

Telangana & Seemandhra

Transport services, including buses and autorickshaws came to a halt in Telangana region in the wee hours on Thursday, as part of a total shutdown called by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). The party has called for the shutdown in protest of merger of seven mandals of Khammam district with Seemandhra or the residual Andhra Pradesh. .

The Union government announced the decision and passed an ordinance on Wednesday, to merge the seven mandals with Seemandhra. The seven mandals are said to be submerged in the backwaters of Polavaram dam and KCR is insisting that the seven mandals of Khammam district should be merged with Telangana.

Public transportation services, including 10,000 buses of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and autorickshaws, have gone off the roads in Telangana region. The TRS activists first targeted APSRTC depots to hinder the transport services, media reports said.

Both local and long-distance buses in twin-cities, Hyderabad-Secunderabad have been stopped completely, say the media reports. The autorickshaw drivers unions are also supporting the total shutdown called by KCR. However, railway services have remained unaffected

This is the first shutdown called by KCR, who is the CM-designate and will take over charge of the new state on 2 June. Hence this protest can be considered as a State-sponsored protest and TRS activists were seen shouting slogans against the union government's decision.

Impact of the shutdown is expected to be all over the 10-district Telangana region.

The shutdown is not only affection the transport services but has also forced examination dates to be postponed.

The Post Graduate Engineering Common Entrance Test, scheduled to be held on Thursday, have been postponed to 31 May, Saturday, and even the Osmania and Kakatiya universities in the region have postponed all their examinations, which were scheduled for the day.

KCR appeals to President not to give assent to ordinance

Condemning what he termed as “injustice” to Telangana, TRS president and Chief Minister-designate K. Chandrasekhar Rao rushed to Raj Bhavan in the evening to take up the matter with Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.

Mr. Rao appealed to the President not to give his assent to the ordinance and claimed that the Centre had issued it bowing to pressure from its alliance partner Telugu Desam Party. The bandh call was supported by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) and Telangana-based organisations, including ones representing employees and advocates.

The TRS president at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday had said he had credible information that the first meeting of the Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the ordinance but this was later denied by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

CM designate KCR calls for Telangana bandh tomorrow

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister designate K Chandrasekhar Rao has called for a bandh on Thursday in the 10 districts of Telangana, opposing the Centre's move to merge seven mandals of Telangana into Seemandhra, as a fallout of the Polavaram water project.

It was decided by the previous UPA government at the Centre. K Chandrashekhara Rao is demanding that not an inch of Telangana should go to Seemandhra, the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

Since the TRS has come to power on its own in Telangana, the bandh is likely to be a success. The TRS has won 63 Assembly seats and 11 Lok Sabha seats in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

The TRS chief is opposed to the Centre's move to merge 7 mandals of Telangana into Seemandhra, as a fallout of the Polavaram water project.

Telangana has 119 Assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats.

KCR is scheduled to take oath as the first Chief Minister of a new state on June 2

KCR opposes Polavaram ordinance

The Telangana Chief Minister-designate, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Tuesday said any central ordinance on Polavaram project would be opposed by the Telangana government.

Mr. Rao, who spoke to the media in New Delhi, said he had information about such an ordinance being cleared in the first meeting of the Union Cabinet.

“This would be an unconstitutional and undemocratic move and I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to desist from any such move”, said the TRS supremo.

The proposed ordinance would pave way for transfer of 136 villages, 211 hamlets and seven mandals of Khammam district to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Telangana CM-designate argued that the boundaries could not be altered through ordinances, when two elected governments were waiting to take charge. They can be altered only after Parliament discussed it.

To a question, Mr. Rao said he was not opposing the Polavaram dam proposal but only its design. He sought to remind that Chhattisgarh and Odisha states were also opposing the project.

On another query on the reported statement of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate N. Chandrababu Naidu objecting to setting up of a “war room” by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on the disputes over allotment of employees, Mr. Rao said a “War Room” was meant to collect and disseminate information on any issue, but not for waging a war.

He said he would welcome Mr. Naidu if he were to visit the “War Room”.

KCR calls for Telangana bandh over Polavaram move

HYDERABAD, MAY 28:  

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President and Chief Minister-designate of Telangana K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) has called for a bandh on Thursday in protest against the reported moves by the Centre to hand over seven mandals in Khammam district to the residuary Andhra Pradesh.

He alleged that the Centre was planning to bring an Ordinance in this regard to remove hurdles for Andhra Pradesh in completing the Polavaram project.

Telangana leaders have been demanding that the design for the project must be tweaked to reduce inundation of some tribal areas.

Several Telangana groups have expressed support to the bandh call given by the TRS President.

National project

The Andhra Pradesh Re-Organisation Bill, passed by the last of Parliament sessions in the UPA regime, has accorded national status to the project.

"It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the Polavaram Irrigation Project for the purposes of irrigation," the Bill said.

"The consent for Polavaram Irrigation Project shall be deemed to have been given by the successor State of Telangana. The Central Government shall execute the project and obtain all requisite clearances," it said.

KCR, Naidu in Combat Mode over Polavaram

HYDERABAD: Polavaram Project has once again become a bone of contention between Telangana and Andhra. Telangana chief minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday vowed to fight till the last if the Modi government tried to push through an ordinance transferring over 200 villages in Bhadrachalam mandal of Khammam district to Andhra.

His Seemandhra counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu lost no time in hitting back. He accused KCR of trying to foment regional passions. KCR set the ball rolling in Delhi before returning to Hyderabad. “I have information that the Centre is likely to issue the ordinance. This is unconstitutional. Boundaries of a State should be changed only in accordance with provisions under Article 3. Assemblies of both the states should be consulted,” he said and warned the NDA government to be prepared for resistance from the TRS and his government if it sought to go ahead with the ordinance.

“We have 11 MPs. We can fight in Parliament,” he said and added he would also move the Supreme Court if the government was foolhardy enough to transfer the villages to Andhra.  However, the Union Cabinet, which met later in the evening, didn’t take up the issue. Following KCR’s remarks, Naidu, while speaking at the inaugural of the party’s two-day Mahanadu at Gandipet, said: “KCR is making Polavaram into a big issue. He is trying to incite passions. We are committed to the development of both the states. We want equal justice. We will come to power in Telangana too.”

TDP chief calls for war against graft

The two-day Mahanadu of the Telugu Desam Party began at Gandipet in Hyderabad on Tuesday with party chief N Chandrababu Naidu vowing to work for a corruption-free India. Stressing the need to root out graft from every govt department, he said the TDP was in fact born to cleanse the society of corruption.

Balancing caste equations may prove tough for KCR

HYDERABAD: TRS supremo and Telangana chief minister-elect K Chandrasekhar Rao, who returned to the city from New Delhi on Tuesday evening, is expected to spend the next couple of days striking a balance in the caste composition of his cabinet, considered the toughest assignment of a CM-to-be.

The simple majority achieved by the pink party among all castes with numerical strength in the region has led the castes to expect their concerns addressed. While some castes are pressing for due representation in the inaugural cabinet of the 29th state, some like SCs and Muslims are expecting special status as publicly promised by KCR.

According to party sources, the tricky part of the cabinet formation will be to accommodate Reddys and Velamas in the cabinet, both dominantly represented by TRS MLAs. While the Velamas, as the ruling community, may expect at least four or five berths, Reddys, the single biggest community in the TRS Legislature Party, are likely to demand equal status in the cabinet. Sources admit

KCR cannot afford to give short shrift to the Reddys, who are also an influential community, both muscle wise and money wise.

KCR himself promised cabinet berths to many candidates during his campaign. In a press conference organized on the day Konda Surekha joined the TRS, KCR announced that the Warangal MLA would be given a cabinet berth. Similarly, he assured T-employees' leaders Swami Goud and Srinivas Goud, berths in the cabinet. Significantly, he promised the post of deputy chief minister to a Muslim. To please the SCs, he had promised the post of the chief minister but eventually kept it for himself. The TRS chief has to therefore offer at least the post of deputy chief minister to the SCs. Also, there are other influential BC groups like the Munnur Kapus, Yadavas and women who need to be accommodated in the cabinet.

"How KCR strikes the balance among these castes and groups is being watched closely. As the constitution puts the cap on the size of the cabinet at 17, he has to bear in mind factors such as seniority, districts, castes, religions and gender. It is not an easy task," a senior leader in the party told TOI. Among the Velamas, sources said, there are at least five important leaders to be accommodated in the cabinet besides KCR. "T Harish Rao, who won with the highest majority from Siddipet, cannot be ignored. Similarly, Taraka Rama Rao is very important to the party. Likewise, Jupalli Krishna Rao, who quit the Congress cabinet to join the TRS, has to be taken. Jalagam Venkata Rao, though a new entrant, has to be accommodated as he is the lone TRS representative from Khammam district. Lastly, Chennamaneni Ramesh, seen as an intellectual has to be fitted in as well," the sources said.

If Velamas get four to five berths, the Reddys would also demand an equal number of berths as they are the biggest caste group in the party, sources added. Padma Devender Reddy, Sunitha Mahender Reddy, G Jagadeswar Reddy, Mahender Reddy, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Enugu Ravinder Reddy, and Lakshma Reddy cannot be ignored because of their seniority. Another senior Reddy who should get a cabinet berth is Nayani Narasimha Reddy. Though Nayani did not contest the election, he is likely to be inducted into the cabinet and later made MLC, as he is the senior most leader of the party, according to many partymen.

Among the BCs, Etela Rajender, Madhusudanachari, Padma Rao, Anjaiah Yadav, Konda Surekha, Srinivas Goud, Swami Goud (MLC), Jogu Ramanna, Gampa Goverdhan, Gangula Kamalakar and Bajireddy Goverdhan Reddy are expecting cabinet berths given their seniority in the party or role in the elections.

KCR also has to consider senior tribal leader Azmeera Chandula, who got elected from Mulug, as his election has raised the expectations of the tribal population in the state. Among the dalit MLAs seeking a berth in the cabinet are Babu Mohan, who defeated former deputy CM

C Damodara Rajanarasimha, and S Rajaiah of Station Ghanpur.

KCR opposes merging of mandals to execute Polavaram Project

Telangana Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao today opposed any move by the Centre to merge seven mandals of Khammam district with residual Andhra Pradesh to execute the Polavaram Irrigation Project.

"Please respect and honour democracy. Stop this ordinance at once and call two governments if you want any changes after due discussion with both responsible governments coming into force in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana," he told reporters here.

According to the AP Reorganisation Act, the Polavaram Irrigation Project has been declared to be a national project. It has also been declared that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the project for the purposes of irrigation.

However, the merger of seven mandals in Bhadrachalam sub-division in Khammam district that also includes submerging of villages, has become the bone of contention.

According to Rao, he had information that an ordinance is being pushed today in the Union Cabinet, aiming at merging seven mandals from Khammam district of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh.

Terming that it was against the "spirit of democracy", he said the move would also go against Article 3 of the Constitution.

"I appeal to Narendra Modiji, who has been popularly and democratically elected as Prime Minister of India, that his first meeting should not insult democracy," Rao added.

He further claimed that he had communicated the issue to the Prime Minister through a close aide of Modi.

Later, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who briefed the media after the cabinet meeting said that the issue was not taken up in the meeting.

"We will take a view on it," Prasad added.

Telangana CM designate KCR resigns from Lok Sabha

The 57-year-old leader, who singlehandedly led the prolonged agitation for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, will be sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Telangana at 08.15 a.m. on June 2

Ahead of taking oath as the Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhar Rao resigned as Medak MP on Monday.

Mr. Rao was elected to the Lok Sabha from Medak and also from Gajwel Assembly constituency, but he has retained the Assembly seat after his election as the leader of the legislature party.

The Chief Minister in-waiting, who was in New Delhi for the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, sent his resignation letter to the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha through party MP B. Vinod Kumar. The Secretary-General later confirmed the resignation by speaking to Mr. Rao over phone.

Sources said that four to five aspirants are in fray for Medak Parliamentary seat now that Mr. Rao has resigned. One of them is Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, who is the owner of a popular travel agency. He was a strong contender for TRS ticket from Dubbaka Assembly constituency in the district, which went to former MLA S. Ramalinga Reddy at the last minute.

The names of former MLC R. Satyanarayana, former IAS officer K.V. Ramanachary, Bangalore-based real estate businessman from Siddipet K. Praveen Reddy and former MLA Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao are also doing the rounds.

This is the third time in five victories as MP that Mr. Rao has resigned to his Lok Sabha membership. After he was first elected as MP from Karimnagar, Mr. Rao resigned in 2006 and won with a record 2.5 lakh majority. He again put in his papers in 2008 but his victory margin reduced drastically from the previous occasion in 2006.

Mr. Rao shifted his constituency from Karimnagar to Mahabubnagar in the 2009 general elections which he won with a slender margin. He chose Medak this time.

KCR to Be Sworn in Telangana State's First CM on June 2

Telangana state chief minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao going in a convoy to meet chief secretary PK Mohanty and director-general of police B Prasada Rao on the process of state’s bifurcation and division of employees at Lake View Guest House in Hyderabad on Friday.

HYDERABAD: TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will be sworn in as the first chief minister of the Telangana state at the Raj Bhavan here at 12.57 pm on June 2, the day when the new state will be born. Rao, a staunch believer in astrology, numerology and Vaastu, is learnt to have fixed this time for his coronation as per the advice of priests to suit his lucky number ‘six’.

Though there is no official word from the TRS on how many MLAs/MLCs will take oath along with Rao on June 2 as members of his cabinet, sources say that six or 15 MLAs, including KCR, are likely to be sworn in as ministers to match his lucky number six. Rao will expand his cabinet at a later date.

After finalising the time, date and venue of his swearing- in, the TRS chief Rao called on governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan on Friday evening and informed him about the date and time of his oath-taking. He is also understood to have submitted a list of the names of MLAs/MLCs who will be sworn in as ministers.

According to highly placed sources, the TRS chief has been considering MLC Mahmood Ali for the deputy chief minister’s post to keep his promise of making a leader from minority communities his deputy in the new state. Ali hails from the old city of Hyderabad. Koppula Eshwar (Dharmapuri), an SC, is also said to be under the consideration for the same post.

As far as ministerial berths are concerned, Rao’s senior colleague Nayani Narasimha Reddy is expected to be made home minister and Etela Rajender (Huzurabad) finance minister. In case Rao inducts Narasimha Reddy into the cabinet, he has to ensure his entry into the Assembly or Council within six months as Reddy is not an MLA/MLC now.

The name of former minister Jupally Krishna Rao (Kollapur) is said to be under consideration for the post of minister of civil supplies and that of another former minister Konda Surekha (Warangal East) for the post of women and child welfare.

For the post of health minister T Rajaiah (Station Ghanpur) and Ch Lakshma Reddy (Jadcherla) are being considered. Suryapet MLA G Jagadish Reddy, a trusted lieutenant of the pink party chief, is being considered for panchayat raj minister’s post, it is learnt.

The TRS chief is understood to be leaning towards selecting either Telangana Gazetted Officers’ Association leader V Srinivas Goud (Mahbubnagar) or MLC K Swamy Goud for the post of labour minister, and former minister and senior- most party legislator Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada) for the post of rural development minister or speaker’s position.

Though there is no clarity on what roles Rao’s son KT Rama Rao (Siricilla) and nephew T Harish Rao (Siddipet) will play in the new state, some say that the TRS boss is planning to accommodate both of them in the cabinet. In such a scenario, KTR might be entrusted with the department of major industries and information technology, and Harish with power, agriculture and irrigation.

Probable Ministers

Mahmood Ali, Koppula Eshwar, N Narasimha Reddy, Etela Rajender, Jupally Krishna Rao, Konda Surekha T Rajaiah or Ch Lakshma Reddy, G Jagadish Reddy, V Srinivas Goud or K Swamy Goud, P Srinivas Reddy, KT Rama Rao T Harish Rao

KCR to Attend Modi Coronation

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to leave for Delhi on May 25 to attend the swearingin by Narendra Modi as prime minister at 6 pm on May 26. He will host a dinner for MPs and other leaders of his party at his residence in Delhi on May 25.

Harish Rao, Etela, Mahmood Ali may hold key portfolios in KCR Cabinet

With government formation imminent, several names are doing the rounds within TRS circles for ministerial berths in Chief Minister-designate K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s Cabinet. Even portfolios of the likely candidates are being discussed.

T. Harish Rao could get key subjects of Power, Irrigation and Agriculture, while Etela Rajender is likely to be assigned the portfolios of Finance and Education. The latter was offered the Home Ministry, but he was not ready to take up the role. The all-important subject might be given to Mohammed Mahmood Ali, who is tipped to be Deputy Chief Minister.

The name of KCR’s son K. Tarakarama Rao figured for Information and Technology and Industries, T. Rajaiah or C. Laxma Reddy for Health, Konda Surekha for Social Welfare and S. Jagadeeshwar Reddy for Panchayat Raj. Jogu Ramanna, Jupally Krishna Rao, P. Mahender Reddy, T. Padma Rao and Jalagam Venkat Rao are also being considered for ministerial posts, sources said.

Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and T. Chandulal are being considered for the post of Speaker. The former is learnt to be reluctant, as he is inclined to join the Cabinet. He could be allotted the Municipal Administration Ministry, sources added.

Meanwhile, KCR on Thursday hinted at the possibility of heading a 15-member Cabinet as the figure corresponds to his lucky number 6 (the sum of 5 and 1). He made the observation at a meeting of Telangana employees at Kompally where he said he might go for a Cabinet of 14 or 15 members.

He raised his fingers when employees wanted K. Swamy Goud and V. Srinivas Goud, both employees’ leaders, to be drafted into his Cabinet.

CM KCR to Work from Here in Kundanbagh

Quarters No 3 & 4 in Kundanbagh from where K Chandrasekhar Rao will work as chief minister of Telangana

HYDERABAD: Telangana chief minister designate K Chandrasekhar Rao will work from  the peaceful environs of Kundanbagh in Begumpet. Quarter Nos 3 and 4 in Kundanbagh, where several IAS and IPS officers reside, will be the new CM’s camp office.

The government on Wednesday issued notices to State intelligence chief M Mahendar Reddy and IAS officer AK Parida, who have been residing in the 3 and 4 quarters respectively, to vacate the same immediately. They will be allotted new quarters.

KCR is against operating from the present CM’s camp office in Begumpet as it is considered to have ‘bad vaastu.’ The  Intelligence Security Wing, which looks after the security of the CM and other VIPs, has got down to the task of tightening security in Kundanbagh. “All roads leading to Kundanbagh will be barricaded and CCTVs installed in and around the area,” sources told Express. Traffic will also be regulated or diverted accordingly. “There are two entry/exit points — one from BS Makhta and the other from Kundanbagh (Chinmaya Temple). Armed personnel will be posted at both these points and boom barriers will be in place. As it is, security is tight in the area as many IAS and IPS officers reside there. It will be further tightened,” the sources said. The present CM’s camp office in Begumpet was constructed during the regime of the late YSR. His successor K Rosaiah preferred to work from his Ameerpet residence. However, Kiran Reddy worked from the Begumpet office.

No entry for AP employees in Telangana secretariat: KCR

Telangana Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao

HYDERABAD, MAY 22:  

The row over division of secretariat employees between Telangana and residuary state of Andhra Pradesh intensified on Thursday with Telangana Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao joining the fray.

After meeting leaders of the Telangana employees associations of different departments here on Monday, Rao said that employees who were natives of Andhra Pradesh would ‘not be allowed to enter into Telangana secretariat.’

As per the provisional allotment of employees for the two secretariats, out of a total 1,865 employees, 1,060 have been identified as belonged to Andhra Pradesh while 805 are for Telangana.

But Telangana secretariat employees association, which also staged a protest on Wednesday, had contended that about 200 staffers allotted to Telananga did not belong to the region and complained the same to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief today.

Narender Rao, Secretary, Telangana Secretariat Employees Association told Business Line that an action plan would be chalked out soon to ‘protect’ the interests to the region.

“We don’t want employees belonging to Andhra Pradesh to get involved in administration of Telangana. If there are surplus posts, we want them to be filled through fresh recruitment by Telangana Government,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the joint action committee of Andhra Pradesh Employees Association had also met Chief Minister-to-be N Chandrababu Naidu and briefed him on the issues.

Asaduddin Owaisi declines KCR's offer for posts

                                       TRS Supremo KCR along with Asaduddin Owaisi                                             .

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday invited MIM to join his government, but party supremo Asaduddin Owaisi prefers to support the new TRS government than joining the Cabinet.

Mr Asaduddin Owaisi, his MLA brother Akbaruddin Owaisi and  other MIM leaders, met Mr Rao here on Thursday and promised to extend their full support to the TRS government.

Thanking Mr Rao for the offer to join his government, Mr Asaduddin Owaisi reportedly told him that the party was not keen on posts but would prefer to work for public good in cooperation with the TRS.

Mr Rao and Owaisi brothers, who presented a long wish list to the TRS chief, also discussed a TRS-MIM tie-up, the GHMC polls, law and order, political, developmental issues of Hyderabad and Telangana region among others.

The TRS chief reportedly promised to waive off all pending water and electricity bills of the underprivileged in Hyderabad city for which modalities will be worked out soon.

“We offered suggestions for development of Hyderabad and Telangana. We requested KCR to waive pending drinking water and power bills of the  poor in city,” Mr Asaduddin Owaisi told the media after the meeting.

The MIM sought urgent enactment of a legislation on the lines of  Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill to enhance accountability of police and check discriminatory exercise of powers in the event of identity-based violence.

“This will inspire confidence among the minorities as well as the ‘settlers’,” Mr Owaisi told Mr Rao.

The MIM president sought government support for the Special Leave Petition (SLP) against entrusting law and order of Hyderabad to the common Governor.

The MIM wants a reflection of Charminar in the logo of new state of Telangana, Urdu as joint official language of Telangana along with Telugu, development of Urdu in all spheres, retaining Hyderabad district while creating new districts, scrapping of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and retaining old Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad with 100 divisions.

The Owaisi brothers urged Mr Rao to consider a whole of other proposals, including revival of the Rs 2.075 crore package, announced by the late YSR, for development of the Old City, Krishna and Godavari  water projects and power projects amongst a host of others.

The MIM asked Mr Rao to be cautious while enhancing reservations for backward Muslims from 4 per cent to 12 per cent as it could lead to  litigation and deprive the community of its existing quota.

KCR meets Governor; stakes claim to form govt. in Telangana

Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhara Rao on his way to Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor on Sunday. 

Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and formally informed about his election as the legislature party leader. The party had taken the Governor’s appointment immediately after the election on Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Rao arrived at the Raj Bhavan, accompanied by over 20 newly elected MLAs, at 11.30 am in six gleaming black Toyota Fortuner – 500 vehicles that were placed at his disposal by the police last night. A road clearing party of the police drove ahead of the convoy of vehicles, including a jammer that Mr. Rao is entitled to as the Chief Minister.

Sources said Mr. Rao had a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Narasimhan for about ten minutes. This was preceded by a brief interaction in the midst of the entire team of Mr. Rao when they discussed the events as part of Telangana agitation.

Mr. Narasimhan, sources added, recalled how the protestors raised “go back” slogans against him but Mr. Rao requested him to ignore the past as an elderly person. Then, the Governor replied that he was perhaps the oldest of all those present on the occasion.

It was also stated that Mr. Rao brought to the notice of Mr. Narasimhan the power shortage that was likely in Telangana on account of higher demand and low generation in the region. In this regard, he sought Mr. Narasimhan’s intervention to see that the generation which was on the higher side in Andhra Pradesh was shared with Telangana. In his inimitable style, Mr. Narasimhan quipped, “you are yourself a power centre, why do you require power?.”

Sources also said there was no mention of government formation in the collective discussion because the visit was not at the Governor’s invitation which was the standard procedure on the eve of swearing-in ceremonies of Chief Minister-designate.

Mr. Rao drove away without meeting the waiting media persons outside the Raj Bhavan but senior leader Eatala Rajender gave them the sound bytes saying their visit was a mere formality after yesterday’s election. Mr. Narasimhan was explained the existing situation.

To a question, Mr. Rajender said the swearing in of the new government would take place without any delay as soon as the new State came into being on June 2.

The police stepped up Mr. Rao's security last night, inducting the bullet proof SUVs, and posting two officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police to head his escort party. A large team was also posted at the party office and residence.

TRS president KCR meets AP Governor

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president and chief minister-designate K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday met Andhra Pradesh governor ESL Narasimhan. Rao, who was on Saturday elected leader of TRS legislature party, was accompanied by the newly-elected MLAs at the Raj Bhavan. 

The official process of government formation would begin only after the Telangana state comes into existence on June 2. Meanwhile, TRS senior MLA Etela Rajender said KCR's meeting with the governor was informal. "We met the governor to apprise him about the decisions taken in the TRSLP," said Srinivas Goud, TRS MLA from Mahbubnagar. "As we are confident of the all-round development of Telangana with KCR as the chief minister, our government will implement all the promises made in the party election manifesto."

KCR Calls on Governor Along with Party MLAs and MPs

TRS MLA-elect Eetela Rajender, along with his colleagues, speaking to reporters after meeting governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Sunday. 

HYDERABAD: It was 11.30 am. on Sunday. A cavalcade of swanky bullet-proof cars screeched to a halt in front of the Raj Bhavan here.

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao stepped out of one of the vehicles, surrounded by security personnel, and walked in with his party’s newly elected MLAs and MPs in tow.

The TRS chief Rao had earlier met Governor ESL Narasimhan several times to plead with him to prevail upon the then State government to address the issues of Telangana people. But, the pink party boss’s presence at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday was a momentous occasion for him and his party. The reason: This time, he met the Governor in the capacity of the ‘chief minister-designate’ of Telangana, which will become the 29th State in the country on June 2.

Rao called on the Governor not only to take his blessings but also to inform him about the unanimous resolution passed by the TRS Legislature Party (TRSLP) electing him as its leader.

Even as Rao was introducing the newly elected MLAs and MPs of his party to Narasimhan, party seniors Etela Rajender and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy submitted the a copy of the TRSLP resolution to the Governor.

The 30-minute-long meeting witnessed some cheerful and humorous moments when Narasimhan is understood to have cracked jokes in reply to the pink party chief’s posers.

According to sources, when the TRS boss Rao asked for the Governor’s cooperation in constructing a few more power plants in the new state to bail it out from ‘electricity crisis’, Nara-simhan is learnt to have replied in a jovial manner, saying, “Henceforth, power will be in your hands. Then, where is the question of having power problems?” The Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan reverberated with peals of laughter.

Pointing out that party leader and KCR’s nephew Harish Rao was absent on the occasion, the Governor is understood to have recalled in a lighter vein that some of the TRS MLAs, including Harish, had shouted at him, saying, “Governor should go back”, during the budget speech delivered by him in the AP Assembly.

Responding to this, party secretary general K Kesava Rao told Narasimhan that the then MLAs of the party had shouted at him only in a fit of rage as they had raised their voice against the injustice being meted out to Telangana.

Stating that he had never taken such issues seriously, Narasimhan promised his full cooperation to the new government.

“I will cooperate with you like a big brother. Probably, barring Kesava Rao ji, I could be older than all of you,” the Governor was quoted as saying amid peals of laughter.

Emerging from the meeting, Rajender told reporters, who were waiting outside Raj Bhavan, that their meeting with the Governor was just a formality.

“We have informed the Governor that we had elected our party chief Rao as the leader of the TRSLP,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of Rao taking the oath as the CM before June 2, the appointed day for the new state, Rajender replied, “We have not asked the Governor to prepone the appointed day. I hope, the swearing-in of Rao as CM of the T-state will be held only after June 2.”

He said only KCR has the capability of transforming the Telangana state into a Golden State. That was why people of Telangana had reposed faith on his leadership in the just-concluded Assembly polls, he added.

KCR all set to be CM of Telangana

TRS bagged 20 seats and the Congress has pocketed six so far in Telangana where the regional outfit appears to be inching towards a majority in the 119-member assembly.

TRS is leading in as many as 44 other segments and the Congress in 13 seats, official sources said.

Among the TRS winners is K Taraka Rama Rao, who emerged victorious in Sircilla in Karimnagar district with a margin of over 49,035 votes.

Etela Rajender (TRS) won from Huzurabad with a margin of over 56,000 votes against his nearest rival K Sudhakar Reddy of Congress.

In Medak, Padma Devender Reddy of TRS defeated actor-turned politician Vijayashanti by more than 39,000 votes.

Ch Madan Reddy of TRS won with a margin of over than 14,000 votes against former minister V Sunitha Laxma Reddy ( Congress) in Narsapur.

The party nominee Konda Surekha won the Warangal (east) trouncing her nearest rival former minister B Saraiah of Congress by over 20,000 votes.

Election Results: KCR set to please all in choosing cabinet

HYDERABAD: With K Chandrashekar Rao set to take over as the first chief minister of Telangana, focus has shifted to the composition of his cabinet. Amid hectic lobbying for berths, KCR, in consultation with senior leaders including party secretary general K Keshava Rao, is understood to have prepared a provisional list of 14 ministers for the 18-member cabinet. 

Since he had pledged to make a dalit the first CM and had gone back on the promise, indications are that the TRS chief is planning to assuage the community. And that could be in the form of one of the two deputy chief minister posts, the other being slated for a Muslim legislator. The names of Koppula Eshwar (Dharmapuri) and MLC Mohammed Ali are doing the rounds. 

Even as party supporters are wondering about the role of KCR's son K Taraka Rama Rao in the new government, sources said the Sircilla MLA is likely to keep out of the cabinet in order to manage the chief minister's office (CMO). "It's time to celebrate our victory and thank the people for reposing hope and trust on us. Things will fall in place in due course. The modalities of government formation are to be decided by the party leadership. My role will be in accordance with that decision," KTR said. 

As he has to strike a fine balance between caste and region factors, KCR is said to have prepared a provisional list of 14 members across various communities, keeping three vacancies for political maneuvering. The allowed strength of the cabinet is 18 including the CM, as it must be 15 per cent of the size of the state assembly which has 119 members. 

Etela Rajender (BC) and Koppula Eswhar (SC) are two leaders from Karimangar who could be cabinet ministers. From Medak, KCR is likely to choose Padma Devender Reddy (Reddy) or G Sunitha (SC), T Harish Rao (Velama) and Babu Mohan (SC). From Warangal, T Rajaiah (SC) and Madusudanachari (BC) are the probables. 

The two MLCs who may figure in the cabinet — Swamy Goud (BC) and Mohammed Ali (Muslim) — are from Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad quota. Padma Rao (BC) is another minister probable from Hyderabad. Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Reddy) and Jupalli Krishna Rao (Velama) are likely to represent Nizamabad and Mahbubnagar respectively. Khammam and Adilabad are likely to be represented by Jalagam Venkata Rao (Velama) and Jogu Ramanna (SC) respectively.

KCR Will be Telangana’s 1st CM, Cong Gets the Stick

TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao speaking at media conference after his party's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly election in Telangana at TRS Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday. 

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will form the first government in the newly carved out State with the party expected to elect its chief K Chandrasekhara Rao as the chief ministerial candidate Saturday at a meeting of the legislature party. The high-pitched campaign by KCR has worked for the TRS with the party crossing the crucial half-way mark required for forming the government, leaving the Congress way behind, and without scope for machinations post-results. The TRS secured 63 out of the 119 seats at stake in Telangana. 

Apart from a clean sweep of north Telangana districts, the TRS secured a good number of seats in districts of south Telangana such as Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda. Besides GHMC, Khammam was the only district where the regional party failed to make a big impact, winning just one seat. 

Interestingly, the TDP-BJP combine fared as well as the Congress, which could not translate into electoral benefit its decision to carve out a separate State. With substantial gains in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Area and pockets of Telangana, the TDP-BJP combine notched up 20 seats, just one less than the Congress.

If several fresh faces put up by the TRS managed to emerge victorious, Congress bigwigs, including several ministers in the outgoing government, faced a humiliating defeat. TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, former deputy CM D Raja Narasimha, former PCC president D Srinivas, former speaker KR Suresh Reddy, former ministers D Sridhar Babu, Sudarshan Reddy, Danam Nagender and Mukesh Gowd were among those who had to bite the dust.

The TRS performance in Lok Sabha was far more impressive than the Assembly. Of the 17 LS seats, the party won as many as 11 with almost all the victorious candidates romping home with huge margins. 

The Congress managed to win just two seats with a majority of sitting MPs tasting defeat, including such stalwarts as S Jaipal Reddy. The TDP, BJP, YSRC and MIM won one seat each. If the YSRC wrested the Khammam LS seat from the TDP, the latter picked up Malkajgiri held by the Congress. Prominent among the LS winners include KCR himself from Medak and his daughter Kavitha from Nizamabad.

Ali from Old City Likely to be KCR's Deputy in Telangana Govt

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao with Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Sunday

HYDERABAD: TRS chief and Telangana chief minister designate K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to appoint party senior leader and MLC Mahmood Ali as his deputy.

KCR, set to be the first CM of Telangana State which will come into existence on June 2, has begun the exercise of selecting his new Cabinet. Party sources pointed out that KCR had already promised to make a leader from the minority community the deputy CM if he came to power and revealed that Mahmood Ali’s name is under consideration for the same. Mahmood Ali from Old City in Hyderabad has been a close aide of KCR ever since the latter floated the TRS over a decade ago.

Prominent among the other names likely to figure in Team KCR are TRS senior leader Etela Rajender (Huzurabad), who was the TRS Legislature Party leader in the recently dissolved House, former ministers Konda Surekha (Warangal East) and Jupally Krishna Rao (Kollapur). MLAs Koppula Eshwar (Dharmapuri), T Rajaiah (Station Ghanpur) and Enugu Ravinder Reddy are also said to be in the reckoning for a Cabinet berth.

Of the first-timers in the Assembly, Suryapet MLA G Jagadeeshwar Reddy, a trusted lieutenant of KCR, seems almost certain to make the cut. Telangana Gazetted Officers’ Association leader V Srinivas Goud (Mahbubnagar) and MLC K Swamy Goud are also in the race. The buzz in bureaucratic circles is that Rajender might be given a key portfolio like home.

“Ministerial aspirants are being sounded about the portfolios being considered for them. Once they express their views, the party chief will take a final call,” said a party insider.

The TRS chief is reportedly considering former minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), the senior-most among the TRS legislators, for the Speaker’s job, though Reddy wants to be in the Cabinet.

There is, however, no clarity on what role KCR’s son KT Rama Rao (Sircilla) and nephew T Harish Rao (Siddipet) will play in the days to come. Will they be entrusted with the responsibility of running the party or made part of the government? The TRS chief is still considering the issue and will take a call soon, sources said.

KCR goes to Vaastu to bust camp office ghosts

Hyderabad: The police department stepped up security near TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s residence after he decided to continue staying there till the camp office gets the nod from Vaastu experts. Mr Rao enjoys the highest category of security.

The camp office, a two-storeyed building, is located on a 1.5-acre site in Begumpet. It has housed three former chief ministers Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, K. Rosaiah and N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

All the former Chief Ministers ended their terms abruptly though they had made changes in vaastu.

YSR had the office-cum-residence built at a cost of Rs 10 crore and moved in on January 5, 2005. Two ministers quarters that were on the premises were demolished for the camp office.

Though YSR completed his first term there and was even re-elected, his second stint ended abruptly due to his tragic death in a chopper crash in September 2009. However, his wife Y.S. Vijayalakshmi and son Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy stayed in the house till December 2009.

Mr K. Rosaiah, who succeeded YSR in Spetember 2009, initially worked out of his house in Ameerpet. He was forced to shift to the camp office in March 2010, due to space constraints, besides besides security and traffic problems.

But Mr Rosaiah utilised only the office space and never stayed in the residential building. He too made certain changes as per the suggestions of Vaastu experts.

Mr Rosaiah had to resign as CM in November 2010. His successor, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, who took office on November 25, 2010, moved to the camp office in December 2010. It was a sort of homecoming as he used to stay on the same premises when his father the late N. Amarnath Reddy, was a minister between 1978 and 1982.

Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy too made certain Vaastu changes reportedly on the advice of Vaastu experts. But he could not complete his full term till May 2014, and resigned on February 19 while opposing his party’s decision to bifurcate the state.