The cabinet expansion took up by Telangana CM KCR on Sunday has thrown open a new question in TRS whether the 'rift' between KCR's family and T Harish Rao has ended.
KCR took not only into his cabinet but allotted him an all-important portfolio of finance, which is considered to be No. 2 in the cabinet after CM.
Though KCR did not take both his son KCR and nephew Harish into cabinet for the past nine months after coming to power for second term in December 2018, Harish's exclusion fuelled speculations that KCR's family did this only to sideline Harish both in government and the party and to pave way for smooth takeover of party and government by KCR's son, when KCR decides to retire from politics.
This speculations spread like wild fire after KTR was promoted as party's working president by KCR while not giving any party position to Harish, soon after KCR becoming CM for second term in December 2018.
However, the latest expansion done by KCR by inducting both KTR and Harish into his cabinet was expected to put an end to these rumours at least for the time being.
But Harish supporters within TRS are learnt to be upset over KCR giving finance portfolio to Harish for a mass leader of a stature of Harish as it has no contact with common people and he will be confined to be a "Secretariat minister', unlike earlier when Harish was irrigation minister in KCR's first cabinet, which brought him good recognition as a minister who speeded up Kaleshwaram project, Mission Kakatiya etc.
But in finance department, he has nothing much to do and especially at a time when Telangana is staring at economic recession as being witnessed globally and across India due to which the Telangana government earnings have been declining fast.
In these circumstances, will Harish remain as a 'non performing minister' in finance department? Will Harish be satisfied with this portfolio which does not suit a mass leader like him?
Will Harish be happy to work wholeheartedly in a department which gives him no recognition? Will he and his supporters feel happy and work wholeheartedly for the government and party?
These are the questions being raised in TRS now after cabinet expansion, especially after Harish was given finance ministry.
