TRS plans grand birthday bash for KCR

Speculation about change of guard gives KCR’s birthday a new significance

● THOUGH TRS leaders and cadre see no chances of Chandrashekar Rao making Rama Rao the Chief Minister on his birthday, they believe that the CM may at least drop some hints over when his son would get the job, when he addresses the party gathering at the stadium.

The TRS party is eagerly looking forward to February 17, when its supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will turn 67.

Party leaders and cadre are planning a mega birthday bash for Mr Rao for a change. It will most likely be held at the LB Stadium this time. Ministers, legislators, parliamentarians, leaders and cadre started urging Mr Rao to allow them to hold grand birthday celebrations at LB Stadium.

It is learnt that some even submitted an application to the Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS), which manages the LB Stadium, to grant permission to hold the birthday bash of the Chief Minister. However, TRS sources say that Mr Rao did not respond to their request, so far.

Normally, Chandrashekar Rao celebrates his birthday at the Pragati Bhavan every year, on a low key note, though some city ministers and party leaders like Talasani Srinivas Yadav make grand arrangements at the Necklace Road and arrange various programmes.

This year, the birthday assumes significance in the backdrop of debate and talk in TRS circles that Mr Rao may handover the chief ministerial reins to his son, minister and party working president K. T. Rama Rao any time.

Though TRS leaders and cadre see no chances of Mr

Rao making Rama Rao the Chief Minister on his birthday, they believe that Chandrashekar Rao may at least drop some hints over when his son and IT and industries minister would be made the Chief Minister, when he addresses the party gathering at the stadium in the city.

Majority are of the opinion that Rama Rao’s pattabhishekam (coronation) may not happen till at least until April, by which time the elections for two MLC seats, the Nagarjunasagar Assembly bypoll and two MLC graduate seats will be completed.

The other argument doing the rounds in the ruling party circles is that Rama Rao’s elevation as the Chief Minister would not happen until the renovated temple at Yadadri and the new secretariat building complex, the dream projects of Mr Chandrashekar Rao are inaugurated by him in the capacity as the Chief Minister.

They, therefore, argue that Mr Rama Rao and his eager backers would have to wait till at least the yearend for the Yadadri and new secretariat to be inaugurated.