‘Will serve as CM for 10 yrs’ — KCR denies KTR succession buzz, ‘warns’ party against rumours

In past couple of months, KCR’s son KTR has been seen leading charge at many events, like Covid vaccine rollout, and many TRS leaders have fuelled speculation about his ascent as CM.

File image of Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao (L) and his son K.T. Rama Rao, a member of the state cabinet | Credit: Wikipedia

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrashekar Rao Sunday quashed rumours that his son K.T. Rama Rao, a minister in the state government, is set to succeed him as chief minister, ThePrint has learnt.

At a meeting of the TRS state executive committee meeting, KCR — as the CM is better known — said there would be no change in leadership and he will continue as chief minister for the next decade, according to party leaders in attendance. 

“He told the party cadre that he is fit enough and will serve as the CM for the next 10 years easily. There is no leadership change happening,” Telangana Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Bhanuprasad Rao told ThePrint.

Over the past couple of months, there has been growing speculation that KTR — as the state IT, Industries and Commerce, and Municipal Administration & Urban Development Minister is better known — would soon succeed his father. Not only has he been seen leading the charge at important events, like the launch of the Covid-19 vaccination programme last month, many leaders of the TRS have made public statements to this effect.

Last month, Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender told a regional TV channel that KCR would hand over the reins to KTR if the need arises, adding that the latter has already been looking over 90 per cent of the key programmes in the state. 

Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav have also pitched KTR as CM and a successful heir to KCR. Speaking to the media last month, Kamalakar said party leaders will simply follow any decision taken by the “boss (KCR)”. 

In January, Telangana Assembly Deputy Speaker T. Padma Rao, speaking at a meeting of the South Central Railways Employees Sangh, an employee union, sought to congratulate KTR for the “soon-to-happen succession” and called him the “chief minister-in waiting”. 

“I congratulate KTR, who is going to be the CM soon… on behalf of railway employees. He should safeguard the interests of railway employees after he becomes the chief minister,” Rao said.                                              

KTR, who was also on the stage, did not react to the comments. On Friday, when KCR called for a meeting of the state executive committee, the “sudden” decision added fuel to the rumours.

An official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Saturday that the meeting will focus on the party president election in April and membership renewals, among other things. Participants included members of the state cabinet, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, mayors, and municipal chairpersons, among others.

‘A warning’

At the meeting Sunday, KCR asked party members to stop making comments that raise speculation about his leadership.

“He kind of warned leaders who spoke about KTR taking over as CM and he denied any such change. He also jokingly asked the leaders if they were unhappy with his leadership,” said a second leader who attended the meeting, on the condition of anonymity.

“The leaders were told that any such decision will only be taken after consulting all of them, not all by himself.” 

Buzz about KTR taking over from KCR, who is serving his second term as CM, first began a few years ago, and peaks every time the latter brings up the idea of a third front or an anti-BJP, anti-Congress front at the Centre. The last time KCR referred to a third front was in November 2020, before the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. KTR has denied such speculation on previous occasions.

The TRS is set to begin its membership drive from 15 February and aims to cross its previous record of 60 lakh members, recruited in the 2019 drive. 

At the meeting, party leaders were asked to ensure the enrolment of at least 50,000 people from each of Telangana’s 119 assembly constituencies, according to sources.

Bhanuprasad Rao said the party also discussed plans to hold a public meeting in April, following the election of party president. “It is our usual exercise that we elect a party president in April followed by a public meeting. We also have an annual plenary at that time,” Rao added.

At the internal meeting Sunday, candidates for the posts of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Mayor and Deputy Mayor were also finalised, sources said. Their names will be announced when the elections are held on 11 February. 

The GHMC polls last year saw an intense contest between the TRS and the BJP, which ended up making big gains in what is largely uncharted territory for the national party. The BJP won more than 10 times the number of seats it got in the 2016 municipal polls. The TRS emerged as the largest player, but failed to get the majority it needed to appoint its own candidates as mayor and deputy mayor.