Revanth Reddy takes charge, declares Telangana as Indiramma Rajyam

Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Revanth Reddy.

Hyderabad: Marking the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s youngest State, Congress Legislative Party leader A Revanth Reddy assumed charge as the new Chief Minister of Telangana here on Thursday.

Earlier, with a large crowd that thronged the Lal Bahadur Stadium here as witness, Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Revanth Reddy, who had reached the dais along with Congress Parliamentary party president Sonia Gandhi in an open top vehicle.

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The new cabinet has been formed with 11 Ministers, including Madhira MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka (Deputy Chief Minister), Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and Huzurnagar MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy. This apart, D Sridhar Babu, Konda Surekha, Damodar Rajanarsimha, Jupally Krishna Rao and Tummala Nageswara Rao were also sworn in as Ministers along with Revanth Reddy.

Mulugu MLA Seethakka, Husnabad MLA Ponnam Prabhakar and Palair MLA Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy were among the new entrants in the Cabinet.

While Seethakka’s turn came to take the oath, there was a massive applause from the crowd, forcing her to hold the pledge for a minute. The sight of Sonia Gandhi hugging Konda Surekha and Seethakka also triggered applause from the gathering.

Apart from Sonia Gandhi, several VVIPs including Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah, his Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sikku, AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi too participated in the swearing-in ceremony.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Pragathi Bhavan was now rechristened as Jyotirao Phule Bhavan.

“As promised, a Praja Darbar will be conducted at 10 am on Friday at the Bhavan and I personally extend an invitation to all the people,” he said.

Stressing that the Congress government would restore democratic values and safeguard the rights of the citizens, the Chief Minister said equal development would be ensured in the State.

The iron barricades fence set up at Pragathi Bhavan entry were dismantled even as the swearing-in ceremony was under progress.

“This is Indiramma Rajyam. We are not rulers. We are your servants. The opportunity given by the people adds responsibility on me to strive for the development of the region,” Revanth Reddy said.

Assuring social justice, liberty and equitable development, he said all support and justice would be extended to the families of the people who sacrificed their lives for achieving Telangana, besides the youth and unemployed.

“This is what Telangana people had fought for and they will be delivered through Indiramma Rajyam,” he said, adding Telangana would compete with the best in the world.

After the swearing in ceremony, the Chief Minister visited a private hotel where Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were staying. He then headed to the BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat to convene a cabinet meeting, after seeing off the AICC leaders and the Gandhis to New Delhi.