KCR is back as Telangana chief minister, will pick his team next week

KCR, as he is popularly known, was sworn in as the chief minister exactly at 1.25 pm, as per the muhurtam fixed by the Vedic pandits from Lord Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple at Yadagiri in Bhongir district, a famous pilgrim centre in Telangana.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao took oath on Thursday as the chief minister of Telangana for the second time during a time chosen for its auspiciousness or “muhurtam”.

KCR took oath in Telugu, Ali did it in Urdu. The Cabinet will likely be expanded on December 18.(HT Photo)

KCR, as he is popularly known, was sworn in as the chief minister exactly at 1.25 pm, as per the muhurtam fixed by the Vedic pandits from Lord Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple at Yadagiri in Bhongir district, a famous pilgrim centre in Telangana. He is known for his beliefs in religious customs, traditions and rituals.

A priest called the time of KCR’s swearing-in as “Baahubali Muhurtam.”

Governor ESL Narasimhan, who is also an ardent believer in Hindu rituals, administered the oath of office and secrecy to KCR and also another cabinet minister Mohd Mahmud Ali, who served as deputy chief minister in the previous term.

 

While KCR,64, took oath in Telugu, Ali did it in Urdu. The Cabinet will likely be expanded on December 18.

The head priest of the Yadadri temple Lakshmi Narasimhacharya said the auspicious time for the TRS president to take oath as the chief minister would start at 1.24 pm on Thursday, which happens to be Margasira Shashti as per Hindu almanac.

“The auspicious period will continue for another one-and-a-half hour. That is why we suggested this muhurtam for him,” he said.

 

The priest said it would give a “Raja Yoga” for KCR, who would get immense power to rule the state without any obstacles. “During this period, all the “grahas” (planets) are in a high position for him and bring him good luck in whatever he does,” Narasimhacharya said.

The TRS won a second straight term in India’s youngest state after scoring a landslide victory in the assembly elections. It had 88 seats in its kitty in the 119-member assembly.

The Maha Kootami – the grand alliance of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) – managed to win just 21 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended up with one seat.

The All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), headed by Asaduddin Owaisi, has retained seven seats, while independent candidates won the remaining three seats.