When Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who took the charge for a second successive term on Thursday last, held a review meeting on the progress of ongoing irrigation projects on Saturday, one person who was conspicuously missing was T Harish Rao.
It is a known fact that Harish Rao, who held irrigation portfolio in the previous term, played a crucial role in execution of various irrigation projects in the state.
Especially, Kaleshwaram project would not have reached this stage without the active participation of Harish Rao, who was responsible for securing all permissions for the same.
Naturally, his absence at the irrigation department’s review meeting conducted by the chief minister raised many an eyebrow.
Though party leaders justify it saying Harish Rao is no more a minister, let alone an irrigation minister, one made wonder why two other TRS leaders including MP B Vinod Kumar and MLA Vemula Prashant Reddy were present at the review meeting.
“At least as a person who held the portfolio for four and a half years and having the sound knowledge of the status of the projects, Harish Rao should have been called for the review meeting,” a political observer commented.
But enquiries revealed that forget about irrigation portfolio, Harish Rao might not be given any berth in the KCR cabinet to be expanded shortly.
“A systematic attempt is being made to sideline him. That is why, he is being denied the cabinet berth,” a party source said.
In fact, it is not KCR but his son K T Rama Rao, who was elevated as Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president, who is deciding who should be and should not be there in the cabinet.
“Naturally, he will not allow Harish Rao to grow as an alternative power centre in the state, once he takes over as the chief minister in the coming days,” the party source said.
