Telangana: Uttam’s comment on not being in race for CM post raises eyebrows

The Minister points out that he is the senior most member of the Assembly after BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao

Hyderabad: The assertion of Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy that he was not in the race to become the next Chief Minister raised eyebrows among political observers in the State capital on Thursday. The Minister was responding to a query from mediapersons during an informal chat in the Legislative Assembly.

Though the popular leader from Huzurnagar constituency sought to distance himself from the speculations, his assertion did not go unnoticed among political circles. While making his point strongly, he pointed out that he was the senior most member of the Assembly after the BRS chief and Leader of Opposition K Chandrashekhar Rao.

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“I have already won seven times from the same constituency. After BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, I am the senior member. I have no aspirations to become the next Chief Minister,” the former Indian Air Force officer said. When a scribe pointed out that he could be in the CM’s post after next elections, he ducked the question saying that he would take a call on contesting the elections after considering directions of his constituency people.

As the questioning on CM post continued, Uttam Kumar Reddy appealed to the journalists “not to highlight this topic, but rather focus on positive initiatives and works being done by us”.

Interestingly, BJP MLA from Mudhole, Rama Rao Patel, who went to the Irrigation Minister’s chambers, too wished that Uttam Kumar Reddy become the Chief Minister.