‘At the end of the day, it is performance that matters’

Hyderabad: Telangana minister for legislative affairs, mines, marketing and irrigation T. Harish Rao, nephew of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, has known to be the No. 2 in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti ever since its formation in 2001. But his position in the party became a subject of hot debate after Chandrasekhar Rao’s son Rama Rao entered active politics and joined the TRS in 2006 and was elected as MLA from Siricilla in 2009.

Replying to a question over whether he foresees a “Shiv Sena type of family conflict” for power, Harish Rao said, “Rama Rao and I work together on all issues in the interest of the party and state. We have perfect understanding and coordination between us. In fact, we are not allowing any one to take up this issue or debate about the future CM. In politics, it’s quite common to project someone as CM, put up hoardings and flexies to embarrass someone. Rama Rao and I have never allowed this in the party.”

Referring to the criticism of “family rule” in the TRS, Harish Rao answered, “What’s wrong in this? A doctor’s son can become a doctor, an engineer’s son can become an engineer. Show me a party that does not have this? In the Telugu Desam Lokesh, Balakrishna, Harikrishna and others are there. In the Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, and Priyanka are there.

In the DMK, M. Karunanidhi, Stalin, Maran are there. It’s there everywhere. But one should realise that at the end of the day it is only one’s performance and efficiency that matters. Relations will not help forever. Look at Rahul Gandhi. Why did he fail? Because he could not deliver and was not up to the expectations of the people.

Talking about the issues of cadre allocation between the two states, Mr Rao said, “Cadre allocation has still not been done and without bureaucrats the system cannot run. I am looking after the irrigation ministry and my secretary is looking after three portfolios, energy, irrigation and municipal administration.

“Yesterday I went to meet Uma Bharti in Delhi and my secretary was supposed to come with me. But the Chief Minister had to go to Chhattisgarh to make a deal for 1000 MW energy, so the energy secretary had to go along with the Chief Minister. If one secretary works full time, he can completely be dedicated to one portfolio, because the work is so much. We have no manpower.

“Andhra Pradesh has an excess whereas we have some 50-60 people and 15 of them are already allotted to Andhra. They leaked a list without finalising. Three important people looking after Hyderabad, including the HMDA commissioner, GHMC commissioner and the Hyderabad collector, have been allocated to Andhra. Because of this leak, the GHMC commissioner is now sitting on files and no work is getting done.

“I know this first hand because as the irrigation minister I wanted to take up lake protection in the city and to do anything related to them, one needs to coordinate with the GHMC, HMDA and the district collector. Many lakes are under kabza and we need funds to remove them. For that we have to take funds from the GHMC and the irrigation department. And not just that, we need to keep restoring. Funds are a problem, but we have to mobilise. But what can I do now? Over the last three months, my programme is getting delayed.”

“Agriculture commissioner Janardhan Reddy is looking after seven-eight portfolios. In Cyberabad, posts of two to three DCP and one joint commissioner is vacant.

“The Chief Minister wants to fill them, but there is no manpower. He released Rs 400 crore for the modernisation of police. One can give money, but where are bureaucrats? The state is facing a major problem with this. We are writing a rejoinder to the government of India. The Prime Minister has to decide soon.

“Andhra Pradesh has no such problem because the bureaucrats are already allotted to Andhra and the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh had a cushion with this as he could chose among the best. If there are 2/3rds of bureaucrats in Andhra, there are be 1/3rd in Telangana.”