HYDERABAD: Ending months of speculation, TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday made it very clear that there would be no change of guard in the State, and that he would continue to be the Chief Minister for 10 more years to come.
“I am very healthy. I will continue as the Chief Minister for the next one decade,” he said, dismissing reports that he would soon be passing the baton to his son and TRS working president KT Rama Rao. Speaking at the TRS State executive committee meeting at Telangana Bhavan, Rao warned party leaders of serious action, including suspension from the party, if they made statements about KTR becoming the CM.He said he did not understand why party leaders were indulging in inane speculation, and wondered whether they wanted him to resign as the CM.
“Maatladite kaallu viraga godathaa (will break your legs), karru kalchi vaatha pedathaa (brand you with burning stick), bandakesi baadutaa (bang you on a rock) party nunchi bayata paarestaa (throw you out of the party),” Rao reportedly warned the leaders.
Referring to the statements made by a few Ministers about KTR’s capability of becoming the next CM, Rao recalled the day that he had made his stand on the succession issue clear in the Assembly floor long ago. He had stated that he would continue as the CM. “Even after making this point very clear, I do not understand why you are talking about change of leadership,” Rao was quoted as having said. TRS MPs, Legislators and all the top leaders of the State committee, including KTR, were at the meeting.
In September, 2019, Rao had declared in the Assembly that he was healthy and would continue as the Chief Minister for two more terms. He averred that the TRS would stay in power for three more terms.
The TRS supremo, on Sunday, also directed the party leaders not to make controversial statements or land in controversies, in the wake of MLAs like Ch Dharma Reddy igniting trouble by making comments on raising funds for Ram Mandir, and on reservations.
Rao did not give any clarity on the party’s stand on the BJP and the Central government. He reportedly said that he would not elaborate on the Centre-State relations in the interests of Telangana. He did not explain his alleged U-turn on the new farm laws of the Central government either.
Membership drive
The party membership drive would be launched on February 12, Rao announced. He set a target of enrolling not less than 50,000 members in each of the 119 Assembly segments. The election of new committees of the party from the ward level to the State level would commence on March 1. The State president will be elected on April 27 in the party plenary. The party will organise a huge public meeting on April 27, marking the formation day of the TRS. Rao also hinted that MLAs were supreme, and they would be fielded again in next elections. If the sitting MLAs were dropped anywhere, it would be discussed once again before arriving at a final decision.
Mayor poll
The TRS supremo told party leaders that the names of candidates for GHMC Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts would be sent across in sealed covers. He directed Corporators and ex-officio members to vote for the party’s picks on February 11
Bypoll
Stating that there would be some setbacks for any party in the election, Rao exuded confidence that the TRS would emerge victorious in the forthcoming Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly bypoll.
Tour
Rao said that he would tour all the districts of the State by April in order to strengthen the party from grassroots level. The party will hold public meetings in the districts before April.