If the reports coming from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi are to be believed, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s nephew and state finance minister T Harish Rao will get the portfolio of medical and health.
The portfolio was till recently with senior TRS leader and Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender, who was sacked from the state cabinet following allegations of encroachment of assigned land and endowment lands in Medak and Medchal districts.
All said and done, Rajender did a sincere and efficient job as the health minister, by regularly holding the meetings, visiting hospitals and monitoring the Covid-19 situation in the state. After his dismissal, the portfolio was transferred to the chief minister by default.
However, for the last couple of days, Harish Rao has been visiting Covid-19 centres, attending the meetings of health department and issuing statements regarding the pandemic in the state.
On Wednesday, too, Harish Rao attended a meeting of health ministers of the country addressed online by Union health minister Harshavardhan to review the Covid-19 situation in the state. Apparently, the chief minister instructed him to attend the conference on his behalf.
This has led to the speculation that Harish Rao will be entrusted with the medical and health portfolio. However, it is not yet clear whether it will be an additional portfolio for the finance minister or whether KCR will take over the finance portfolio and leave only medical and health department to his nephew.
In any case, Harish Rao is capable of handling any portfolio given to him. Since it is only a reshuffle of the portfolio as per the discretion of the chief minister, there is no need for him to take a fresh oath from the Governor.
