Many Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders, off the record, agree that K.T. Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, who is also the son of Telangana Chief Minister KCR, is behaving like the CM of the state and the president of the ruling party. KTR often reviews the work of various departments with ministers which are not often called ‘cabinet meets’ but orders are given to the concerned. Due to these reasons, many state leaders believe that he may be gearing up to take the reins from his father.
KTR headed a marathon eight-hour meeting of the council of ministers with a specific agenda along with the presence of all officials just like a state’s chief minister. The meeting was held at CM’s official residence Pragathi Bhavan to take decisions on food processing in Telangana. After which he also tweeted, “As directed by Hon’ble CM KCR, presented the drafts of important sectors – Food Processing & Logistics policies to all the cabinet colleagues; 8-hour long discussion and a lot of valuable inputs which will be incorporated for presentation to Cabinet soon.”
A TRS source told The Daily Guardian, “The CM wants to take rest but nobody is sure of his mood. He may change the stance. But as of now, the CM cannot wait until the next election to hand over the mantle to his son.”
Whenever CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao takes rest in his farmhouse, KTR holds a cabinet meeting in the absence of his father. The TRS activists feel that he is going to be their boss soon. KTR never conducted this kind of cabinet meeting earlier but this time he has done it. The officials attended the meeting in a manner as if they were attending a CM’s meeting including the planning board’s vice chairman and other top officials.
In the meantime, senior Congress leader Guduru Narayana Reddy also told The Daily Guardian that KTR was doing rehearsals for CM’s post. “Let him do it but I demand him to speak about the coronavirus. No one is going to invest in any state in any business. These are all publicity stunts. KTR reviews with other ministers about double-decker flyovers. Food processing is to attract the Hyderabadi voters. Where is food in Telangana to process? First of all, let him control Covid-19 and later focus on CM’s job.”