Toyota Century: Barriers razed as ‘pro-people’ Revanth Reddy government assumes office | India News

HYDERABAD: Even before Revanth Reddy took oath as the first Congress chief minister of Telangana, bulldozers had lined up outside Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of the CM, on Thursday morning. The machines started bringing down the large iron gates and barricades that extended onto the main road at Begumpet, in the heart of Hyderabad. This was the first symbolic gesture of many that Revanth had signed off on to show that his would be a people-friendly government even as he, his deputy Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and 10 other ministers took the oath of office in front of a crowd of thousands at L B Stadium in Hyderabad.
Top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, the CMs of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, Siddaramaiah and Sukhvinder Sukhu, respectively, and Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumar attended the swearing-in.
Minutes after Revanth took oath, chief secretary Santhi Kumari presented him with the file clearing the six guarantees that Congress had promised during its poll campaign, which he signed amid loud cheers from the crowd. The file was approved in the first cabinet meeting held in the evening. The second file to be cleared was on giving a job to physically challenged T Rajani as Revanth had promised her a few weeks ago. In its campaign, Congress had promised to fill up two lakh government vacancies.
Revanth, who has never served in government, in his maiden address as CM announced that the iron barricades at Pragathi Bhavan had been removed and that it had been renamed Jyotiba Phule Praja Bhavan, after the 19th-century anti-caste activist. He said the barricades had created a divide between the poor and the government under the previous CM. Keeping yet another election promise, he announced the first “Praja Darbar” would be held at 10 am on Friday.
“The formation of Indiramma Rajyam has ushered in freedom for the people of Telangana from 10 years of oppression and confinement,” Revanth said amid loud cheers. “Today is the true Liberation Day.” In a tweet, PM Narendra Modi congratulated Reddy and assured him of support to further the state’s progress and the welfare of its citizens.