KCR boots out Rajaiah
Dy CM sacking comes in wake of alleged corruption
In a swift operation on Sunday, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao dismissed Deputy Chief Minister Dr T. Rajaiah from his eightmonth old Cabinet. Mr Rao’s recommendation to sack Dr Rajaiah was accepted by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.
On the same day the Chief Minister filled the vacancy by appointing Warangal MP Kadiam Srihari as the new Deputy Chief Minister. At a brief ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Sunday evening, Mr Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Srihari, who will be minister of education.
The medical and health ministry, which was hitherto looked after by Dr Rajaiah, has been given to minister Dr C. Laxma Reddy who was holding the energy portfolio. K. Jagadeeswara Reddy, who was education minister, will now be the new energy minister.
Dr Rajaiah skipped the Raj Bhavan ceremony and remained confined to his residence.
Dr T. Rajaiah’s letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao late on Saturday is believed to be the last straw, that resulted in his ouster ad Deputy Chief Minister.
Denying the corruption allegations against him in the letter, he said that Mr Rao had “over-reacted” to the swine flu cases which dented Brand Hyderabad.
“Soon after the outbreak of swine flu, I visited various hospitals for three days, told the patients not to panic and tried to instill confidence among them. But you have taken up the issue with the PM and Union health minister. This over-reaction has created panic among people as they started rushing to hospitals even for minor coughs and fevers. What have you achieved with this except helping doctors and hospitals? Also your decision to bring swine flu under Arogyasri benefited corporate hospitals. After all this you described the swine flu virus as a third- grade one and that there is nothing to panic. I did the same by working silently to check the swine flu to ensure that no damage is caused to Brand Hyderabad. The government’s over-reaction has led to a decrease in tourist visits to Hyderabad,” Dr Rajaiah wrote.
Sources said this had angered Mr Rao; there were indications earlier that he would continue in office till the end of the Budget Session in March.
Dr Rajaiah described the corruption charges as character assassination and said he was targeted as he was a Dalit.