Hyderabad: The Telangana Rastra Samiti returned to power on December 12 with a thumping majority, winning 88 seats out of 119 in the assembly. K Chandrasekhar Rao took oath as a chief minister along with home minister Mahamood Ali the very next day.
On Sunday, exactly a month would pass since the swearing-in ceremony. Since then, no one has been added to KCR’s Cabinet.
The unnatural and inordinate delay has led to all kinds of theories and rumours in the corridors of power, and the CM, too has been forced to acknowledge it. “We want to allot the related departments to one minister for smooth governance. Our officers are working on that,” he said, trying to explain it away.
But there is still no clarity on when the Cabinet will be expanded and the prolonged delay has only increased the hectic lobbying for cabinet berths by MLAs. The office of KCR’s son KT Rama Rao, who was made the working president of TRS recently, is visited by aspirants daily and they are also ringing senior leaders.
“The CM has to take a decision… Yes, I am expecting ministry. I am having sleepless nights,” an MLA said on the condition of anonymity.
Close associates of KCR told News 18 that cabinet expansion is completely the decision of the CM. “He acts according to the need of the government. The government is functioning smoothly without any problem. The CM is working on the council of ministers. We have to consider different aspects like districts and equations.”
Opposition Congress has criticised the delay. “Already one month has passed but he did not expand his cabinet. What does it mean? He is behaving like a dictator,” AICC spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju told News 18.
Meanwhile, the CM is busy with his regular official activity. He is regularly reviewing the performance of important departments and keeping a tab on officers. He visited his dream project Kaleswaram and instructed the officials to complete it fast.
He also legalised the formation of Mulugu and Narayanpet districts in Telangana, which was in his list of election promises. Other than the CM, home minister Mahamood Ali is participating in the routine activities.
In the last one month, KCR also met regional satraps Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee for the formation of a federal front. He visited Delhi, too, and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Another reason that might be behind the delay is KCR’s superstitious beliefs, sources said. He might be waiting for an auspicious moment for the full cabinet to be formed.
The chief minister is planning to perform a Sahasra Chandi Yagam in his farm house at Erravelli from January 21 to 24 and some in the party expect that the cabinet will be expanded after the completion of the yagam. Meanwhile, the assembly session is to commence from January 17 for oath of the newly elected MLAs and to elect the speaker and deputy speaker.
According to reports, some officers have stopped visiting the secretariat as there is no minister assigned in their departments.
Before the elections, the TRS had made big election promises like double-bedroom houses, loan waiver to farmers and doubling of pension to government employees. Most of the staffers expected a quick decision after formation of the new government, but are likely to be unhappy with the delay in decision making.
Comments
0 comment