Updated
Hyderabad, Jun 2 (IANS): Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Monday took oath as the first chief minister of Telangana, a few hours after it took birth as the 29th state of India.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to 60-year-old Rao at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan here.
Eleven cabinet ministers also took the oath with KCR, as Rao is popularly known.
Those who took the oath include KCR's son K. Taraka Rama Rao and nephew Harish Rao.
The swearing-in took place a few hours after the celebrations broke out across Telangana on its formation as a separate state.
Mohammed Mehmood Ali, a member of the legislative council, is the only Muslim inducted in the cabinet, which has a mix of both youth and experience. It was immediately not clear if Ali, a leader from Hyderabad, will be made the deputy chief minister.
Senior leader N. Narasimha Reddy, a politburo member of the party, and E. Rajender, who served as the party's floor leader in the last Andhra Pradesh assembly were also sworn in as the ministers.
P. Srinivas Reddy, who served as the minister in Telugu Desam Party government, leaders like T. Rajaiah, T. Padma Rao, Mahender Reddy, Jogu Ramanna and Jagdish Reddy took oath as the ministers.
Before taking oath as the chief minister, KCR paid tributes to martyrs of Telangana at Gun Park near legislative assembly building.
Two hours before the swearing-in of the new cabinet, Narasimhan took oath as the governor of Telangana. Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta administered the oath to Narasimhan, who will serve as the governor of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Leaders of various political parties and top officials attended the ceremony.
Earlier Report
India's 29th state Telangana is born
Hyderabad, Jun 2 (DHNS) : On June 1 midnight, the 29th state of the Indian Union — Telangana— was born amid fanfare and night-long celebrations across its 10 districts.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which spearheaded the final round of agitation for statehood, will form a government on Monday morning partially ending President’s Rule imposed in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh in March.
TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, fondly addressed as KCR, will take oath as its first chief minister at the Raj Bhavan at 8.30 am. State governor E S L Narasimhan, who will be taking additional charge of Telangana around 6.00 am, will administer the oath of office and secrecy to KCR and his cabinet colleagues.
Before the swearing in ceremony, the chief minister-designate will offer floral tributes to martyrs of Telangana at the Gun Park in front of state Assembly. Following the swearing in, KCR will attend the official state formation day celebrations at the Secunderabad parade grounds and address the gathering.
Chandrasekhar Rao will then proceed to the state secretariat through the separate entrance created for Telangana part of the premises and take charge around 12.57 pm. There will be a cabinet meeting with few ministers taking oath along with him. He is also expected to sign the first file as chief minister.
However, the swearing in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan will be limited to state level leaders, and may not have any central ministers as guests as the TRS has decided to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to yet another round of celebrations which might be organised shortly. “So far we have not received any invitation, and I can’t speak on behalf the PM,” Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu
said, adding that it is a pious occasion and he wished all the best. TRS party sources say that KCR is not happy with the NDA government for speeding up the Polavarm ordinance allowing submergence of land accrued to Telangana through the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Meanwhile, celebrations began on Sunday night on the historic Tank Bund amid sounds of ‘teen maar’, colours of Bonalu and folk songs depicting the struggle of Telangana over past six decades. The celebrations continued throughout the night.
The midnight sky here was illuminated by fireworks ordered from Mumbai when the Secunderabad clock tower hit 12 clock, marking the birth of Telangana. The state song of Telangana “Jaya Jaya He Telangana Janani Jayaketanam,” was played at several junctions, offices and residential complexes.