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K Chandrasekhar Rao: The leader who spearheaded the Telangana statehood movement

When the then UPA government at the Centre announced the creation of a separate state of Telangana, the TRS supremo was the undisputed choice to become the first chief minister of the state.

K Chandrasekhar Rao: The leader who spearheaded the Telangana statehood movement

Telangana’s incumbent Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supreme K Chandrasekhar Rao is the first chief minister of the youngest state of India. And if the exit polls are to be believed, KCR still remains the favourite among Telangana electorates.

KCR is known for spearheading the movement for the creation of a separate state of Telangana. On several occasions, he sat on hunger strikes and participated in protests marches to press for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

When the then UPA government at the Centre announced the creation of a separate state of Telangana, the TRS supremo was the undisputed choice to become the first chief minister of the state.

KCR began his political career as a member of the youth Congress, but in 1983, he parted ways with the grand old party to join the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). His witnessed a swift rise in the Andhra Pradesh polity and went on to become a minister in the NT Rama Rao government.

Even when the TDP leadership changed, and N Chandrababu Naidu, took control of the party affairs, KCR was a part of the state Cabinet as the Transport Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He also served as the deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

He resigned from the post as well as TDP membership in 2001. He claimed that the people of Telangana region were being discriminated against by the Andhra Pradesh leadership, and called for a separate state.

With the objective of a separate Telangana, KCR founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which is currently in power in the state.

KCR was sworn in as the first chief minister of Telangana on June 2, 2014.

He is contesting the Assembly elections 2018 from the Gajwel seat, where he defeated Congress candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy in 2014.

The results on December 11 will show if the magic of KCR is still intact in Telangana.