TRS leader Padma Rao assumes charge as Deputy Speaker of Telangana Assembly

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) senior leader T Padma Rao Goud on Monday took charge as the Deputy Speaker of the newly-elected Telangana State Assembly. Goud’s name was recommended by the TRS working president and MLA K Taraka Rama Rao. He filed his nomination for the post-Deputy Speaker on Saturday.

Rao was elected unanimously as the Opposition political quarters such as Congress, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not field their candidates. In the previous Assembly, Padma Devender Goud was the Deputy Speaker. As she refused to take either Speaker or the Deputy Speaker post, the Chief Minister selected Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Padma Rao Goud as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

Notably, Rao is the close aide of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. He was elected as MLA thrice from the Secunderabad Assembly constituency. In addition, he was also one of the founder-member of the TRS floated by KCR in 2001 and fought for the separate state. He was Excise and Prohibition minister in the KCR’s previous regime. 

(With inputs from agencies.)