K Chandrasekhar Rao to be sworn in as Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2

Hyderabad: It is now official. TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao will sworn in as Chief Minister along with his team at Raj Bhavan here on June 2 at 8.15 am. Mr Rao met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday evening after calling for a Telangana bandh on Thursday to protest against the merger of seven mandals of Khammam district to be submerged in the Polavaram irrigation project with Andhra Pradesh.

The TRS chief discussed the merger of seven mandals in Khammam, the bandh call, formation of Cabinet, controversial distribution of government employees and other bifurcation issues during his hour-long meeting with the Governor at Raj Bhavan, it is learnt. This is the third meeting of Mr Rao with the Governor in the recent past and assumes significance.

Meanwhile, Mr Rao and his team are gearing up for the swearing in ceremony on June 2, which is just four days away. The TRS, which won 2014 Assembly polls by bagging 63 seats, have staked claim to form the government and submitted a resolution electing Mr Rao as TRS Legislature party leader to the Governor.

“Mr Chandrasekhar Rao will sworn in as Chief Minister on June 2 at 8.15 am. We have sent a request to the Raj Bhavan in this regard today to make the necessary arrangements. KCR and the Cabinet ministers will sworn in,” T. Harish Rao, the TRS Siddipet MLA and politburo member told this newspaper.

It is learnt Mr Rao will assume office at the Secretariat on the same day on June 2 at 12.57 pm, which when added (1+2+5+7=15 which is 1+5= 6 again, which is Mr Rao’s lucky number). Asked about the Cabi-net strength, Mr Harish Rao feigned ignorance saying it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister and he was unaware of the number of Cabinet ministers.

The TRS sources said Mr Rao would sworn in along with 14 members that comes to 15 members, and when added is six, the lucky number of the TRS chief. Mr Rao, who shunned visitors during the day on the plea that he was sick, however, met Hyderabad City Police commissioner Anurag Sharma, who is tipped to become the DGP, Mr Shivdhar Reddy, and the new Intelligence Chief and Mr Mahender Reddy, the present Intelligence chief who will take over as City Police Commissioner.

Mr Rao was busy giving final touches to the Cabinet team and also finalising names in the Chief Minister’s Office besides other key posts in the new Telangana government. “The Cabinet team is not yet finalised and portfolios appearing in media are mere speculation,” Mr Harish Rao asserted.

Meanwhile, Mr Harish Rao and Mr K.T. Rama Rao have become the toast of  party leaders and workers, who came in hordes from various districts to congratulate them at Telangana Bhavan. Since both are tipped for key portfolios, they are in huge demand. So are leaders like Mr Nayani Narasimha Reddy, whose name is tipped for Home Minister, but he dismisses it.