Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS): A legislator of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has said that Telangana minister K.T. Rama Rao may become the chief minister by March next year.

Former minister D. Redya Naik, who is currently a member of Telangana Assembly, made the prediction.

Addressing a programme in his constituency Dornakal, the MLA stated that Rama Rao is the future chief minister.

Rama Rao, who is son of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, holds the portfolios of industry, information technology, municipal administration and urban development. Popular among his followers as KTR, he is also the working president of the ruling party.

He is considered as number two both in the party and the government.

There have been speculations that the chief minister will hand over the mantle to him. KTR, however, had dismissed the speculations with the remark that the chief minister is healthy and fit.

There was a strong buzz last year that KTR will be taking over as the chief minister after KCR appointed him as the working president of the party following TRS retaining power in the state with landslide majority.

The TRS chief wanted to focus on national politics. However, with his idea of a federal front comprising regional parties failing to take off due to BJP retaining power at the Centre with huge majority, KCR stayed in the state.

KCR, who completed two years in office in his second term this month, recently stated that he will bring all anti-BJP parties on a common platform.