Telangana IT and industries minister K.T.Rama Rao is busy touring Paris at a time when TRS is fighting a do-or-die battle in Huzurabad Assembly bypoll.

As a minister hailing from Undivided Karimnagar district in which Huzurabad Assembly constituency falls, KTR was expected to be present at least in Telangana if not in Karimnagar district when the crucial polling will be held on October 30.

Not just a minister, he is also the TRS working president and an MLA representing Siricilla constituency, which is in the neighborhood of Huzurabad.

While the polling is on October 30, KTR left for Paris on October 27.

He will return from Paris only after polling on October 30.

Why did KTR visit Paris just before crucial Huzurabad bypoll polling?

KTR’s supporters in TRS claim that he went to Paris to participate in a global business event and promote investments in Telangana.

They say it reflects KCR’s sincerity and dedication towards his job as IT and industries minister and also towards Telangana.

They say KTR gives more importance to the development of Telangana than his political interests or party’s interests.

But his critics say KTR went to Paris to escape from his responsibility of ensuring victory for TRS in the bypoll.

They say KTR knew that TRS will lose bypoll and for that reason he avoided campaigning in Huzurabad all these days and now he left even Telangana and India on the polling day to send a message that he was no way connected with bypoll and he should not be held responsible for defeat. Only Harish Rao has led party’s campaign in Huzurabad and he should be held accountable for the poll outcome.

The tone and tenor of TRS working president and IT minister K.T.Rama Rao indicates that he is snooping on his political rivals.

KTR declared that he had obtained photographs of a ‘secret meeting’ between Huzurabad BJP candidate Etela Rajender and TPCC chief A.Revanth Reddy.

KTR is threatening that he will make those pictures public if Etela and Revanth condemn his charges and state that they never met.

KTR is claiming that Revanth and Etela met at Golkonda Resorts in city and has all the evidence in support of his claims. KTR is alleging that Congress and BJP have colluded to defeat TRS in Huzurabad Assembly bypoll on October 30.

However, Etela is challenging KTR that he never met Revanth after he joined BJP and he met leaders of all parties from May 2 to June 12 when KCR ousted him from his cabinet and before he joined BJP on June 12.

He met all his friends in political circles irrespective of pirates only to seek their suggestions on his political future and in the process he even met Revanth.

Etela questioned is Congress a banned organisation or is Revanth a terrorist or extremist and what’s wrong in meeting any leader be it Congress or any other party.

KTR had earlier released audio of Revanth Reddy in which he was heard saying Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as ‘donkey’ which created ripples in political circles.

Revanth who initially denied making those comments was forced to admit and apologise after KTR released the audio.

Now, TRS and KTR’s political rivals fear KTR snooping on his rivals and conducting sting operations on them to record audios and videos.

If not where from KTR is getting photos, audios and videos of their secret meetings, they wonder.

Everyone knows how important Huzurabad bypoll is. It is in fact a game-changer and a BJP win could change the whole complexion of Telangana politics. Both the BJP and the TRS are pitting every resource at their command to win the election. But where is KTR in such an all-important battle? This question is being asked not just in Huzurabad but also across the state.

Interestingly KTR is not even remotely involved in the elections in Huzurabad though his constituency is very close by. Even party MLAs and ministers are involved, but not KTR. His absence has now become a topic of discussion. Interestingly, except for Huzurnagar bypoll in Nalgonda district, KTR did not campaign in any other bypoll. Though he campaigned in some places in the GHMC elections, all those seats were lost. Sources say that he was listed as the star campaigner of the party in most bypolls, but he did not go for the campaign. When asked, he recently said that there was no need for him to campaign as Harish Rao was taking care of everything.

On the other hand, Harish Rao is seen everywhere. He, in fact, is leading the charge on behalf of the TRS. He is planning strategies, meeting people, holding meetings and is undertaking house-to-house contact. Other ministers like Gangula Kamalakar and Koppula Eswar have receded to the background. It is almost Harish vs Eatala in Huzurabad. Sources in the party say that KCR wants to shield KTR from the failure and criticism before the 2023 elections. This will help him in fight with a clean slate in 2023, sources say. It is because of this that KTR was not fielded in Huzurabad despite being listed as the star campaigner.

Telangana Industry and Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao has come forward to provide financial support to a tribal girl who was struggling financially to complete her medicine course.

Anusha, who hails from Borabanda area of Hyderabad, is pursuing her MBBS course from a medical college in Kyrgyzstan. She has scored 95 per cent marks in first, second, and third year MBBS.

She returned to Hyderabad last year during the Covid pandemic and has been facing challenges to complete her course due to the financial crisis.

To make ends meet, Anusha had even started selling vegetables along with her mother in Borabanda. After learning about the plight of the girl’s family, Rama Rao decided to extend help.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, wished Anusha all the best and said that they would like to see her as a doctor soon.

Anusha’s family members thanked the minister for his support.

Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday commended two traffic policemen for imposing a fine on his car for a traffic rule violation.

Two days after the policemen – Sub-Inspector of Police Ilaiah and constable Venkateshwarlu – issued a ‘challan’ for the minister’s vehicle for plying on the direction, he called them to his office to expressed his appreciation by presenting them bouquets and shawls in the presence of Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar.

The Minister, who is also son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, appreciated the policemen for discharging their duties sincerely and assured that he will always stand by such officers.

Stating that he will always be in forefront in obeying traffic rules, he clarified that he was not in the vehicle when it was fined for traffic rule violation. He also paid the fine imposed.

KTR, as the minister is popularly called, said rules are same for all whether they are general public or public representatives in power. He said he congratulated the traffic policemen to convey right message to his party workers and leaders.

The policemen imposed fine on KTR’s vehicle when it was being driven in the wrong direction near Bapu Ghat under the limits of Langar Houz police station on October 2. This happened when the minister was about to leave Bapu Ghat after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi along with Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Home Minister Mahmood Ali.

As the road was blocked due to the movement of the Governors’ convoys, the driver of KTR’s vehicle took the wrong route to reach Bapu Ghat. The policemen stopped the vehicle and this reportedly led to an argument between them and some TRS leaders. Some police officers reportedly clarified that the policemen who stopped the vehicle did not know that it belong to the minister.

The incident also triggered debate on social media with many netizens praising the policemen for discharging their activity and criticized those who raised an objection and entered into an argument with them.

A high-level delegation from Columbia headed by its Health and Social Protection Minister, Fernando Ruiz Gomez visited Hyderabad on Wednesday to witness first-hand the life sciences initiatives and clusters like Genome Valley of Telangana.

Vice Minister of Knowledge, Innovation, and Productivity, Sergio Cristancho and Columbia’s Ambassador to India Mariana Pacheco were also part of the delegation which consisted of 34 members representing various ministries, academia and private sector.

The objective of this mission was to know and learn about the ecosystem around the production of medicines and vaccines in Hyderabad, and thus replicate the same through new regulations, joint ventures and the signing of B2B, G2B and G2G, to promote manufacturing and serve the local market and the Latin America and Caribbean region from Colombia.

The delegation met state Information Technology Minister, K.T. Rama Rao, wherein they expressed their appreciation for the phenomenal work carried out by the state government to promote life sciences sector.

“We are delighted to host the esteemed delegation in Hyderabad – the Life Sciences capital of India. It is a matter of pride for us that leaders from Colombia are keen to study the life sciences ecosystem of Telangana to create a similar infrastructure in their country, and this is indeed a big global recognition for the efforts of state government in creating a robust life sciences ecosystem,” Rama Rao said.

Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Jayesh Ranjan and Director, Life Sciences & Pharma, and CEO, Hyderabad Pharma City Ltd Shakthi Nagappan, also participated in the meeting.

Pacheco thanked Telangana government for welcoming them with open arms and generosity. “We are very impressed with the development of the cluster for biomedical research, for the extraordinary pharma and vaccine manufacturing and for the promotion of training of key personnel for the ecosystem to continue growing. Our admiration for your generosity for the good of India and humanity,” she said.

The delegation also visited the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Centre for Cellular And Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) to learn about the ongoing research, industry academia institution, and scientific infrastructure present at the institute.

At the Genome Valley, they witnessed the eminence of India’s first clean R&D and manufacturing sector. The delegation also visited IKP knowledge park and MN park to witness the R&D facilities of various companies.

TRS working president and IT minister K.T.Rama Rao always makes tall claims about KCR’s government’s achievements in the last seven year both inside and outside the Legislative Assembly.

He often gives build-up as if Telangana people never witnessed any development before TRS came to power in 2014 and all development happened in Telangana only after TRS came to power in 2014.

But a look at the pathetic condition of the brand new Collectorate Complex in Siricilla exposes not just TRS government’s failures but also that of KTR.

Siricilla Assembly constituency is represented by none other KTR since 2008.

A new Collectorate Complex spread over 94 acres was built at a cost of Rs 65 crore in Sircilla which was inaugurated recently by his father, Telangana CM KCR in July.

Such was the poor planning that KTR opted for a site for this building which is in the bed of a tank called Ragudu tank.

In case of heavy rains, there is no provision to drain water. There is no drainage system or flood water management system. With this, the building is drowning in flood water every time there is heavy rain. This building got inundated five times since it was inaugurated three months ago in July.

Worse still is, Siricilla collector and staff in the building complex were stranded since yesterday (Monday) due to flooding.

They spent whole night in the building with no chance to come outside as it resembled a river.

On Tuesday morning (today), flooding further increased. With this, tractors were sent inside and collector and staff were rescued from the building and shifted outside in the tractors.

The videos of Siricilla collector along with staff coming out of the building in tractors went viral on social media platforms.

Netizens trolled KTR for his tall claims in media every day and in Assembly everytime about TRS government creating world class infrastructure facilities in all district headquarters.

Telangana’s Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to develop ‘nalas’ (drains) to avoid a flood-like situation in Hyderabad.

The minister held a review on the development and expansion works of nalas which will be taken up in the GHMC limits.

To prevent inundation in the city, GHMC officials have come up with a comprehensive programme for the development of nalas which was reviewed by KTR, as the minister is popularly known.

He stated that there was a need to strengthen the age-old nala and sewer system, keeping in mind the rapid urbanisation, and the government is working towards the same by coming up with a comprehensive nala development programme.

He noted that Hyderabad has been recording heavy to very heavy rains in recent times, and to avoid a flood-like situation in the city, the government is taking up nalas development and expansion works.

The government wants to take up these works in a well-planned manner to ensure no citizen goes through any kind of inconvenience in the future, said KTR. He added that the government will take care of the poor who get affected by these works.

He also stated that the government is also considering the allocation of 2 BHK dignity houses for the affected ones based on their eligibility.

He said the government would also come up with a law, if needed, for the development and expansion of nalas and lakes in the city.

The zonal Commissioners of the GHMC submitted a detailed report to the minister on the works taken up which include clearing obstacles in nalas, expansion of nalas, and construction of retaining walls.

The minister directed the officials to take up all these works along with the Strategic Nala Development Programme. He asked the officials to identify bottlenecks in nalas and clear them on a war footing.

A meeting will be called soon with all the MLAs from GHMC limits, he added.

Moved by the plight of a woman who was working as a sweeper despite holding a masters’ degree in science, Telangana’s Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday offered her the job of Assistant Entomologist on outsourcing basis in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

A. Rajani, who had done MSc (organic chemistry), was working as a sweeper on contract basis in the GHMC.

Responding to a report published about the woman in a leading Telugu daily, the minister offered her a job commensurate with her qualification.

Special Chief Secretary, Urban Development, Arvind Kumar, who took Rajani to the minister, revealed the job offered to her. He tweeted that orders were issued after verifying her credentials.

Rajani, who has two daughters, became emotional when the minister assured her all the support and offered her job as Assistant Entomologist in the Entomology Department.

Hailing from Warangal district, Rajani was born in a family of agriculture labourers. Despite the financial problems, she continued her studies with the support of parents and passed MSc (organic chemistry) with first grade in 2013. She had also qualified for PhD from the Hyderabad Central University but in the meantime she was married to an advocate and shifted to Hyderabad.

Rajani became mother of two but continued to appear for competitive exams to secure a job. However, the family landed into a crisis as her husband became bed-ridden due to cardiac problem. She started selling vegetables to run the family of five including her mother-in-law. As she was not making enough money, she took up the job of sweeper on contract basis in GHMC for a salary of Rs 10,000.