Hero’s welcome to KCR

• Keeps promise of returning only after achieving statehood
• T activists and party workers pour out onto streets in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao got a hero’s welcome at Begumpet Airport here on Wednesday as thousands of his supporters celebrated formation of separate Telangana state.

KCR reached Rajiv Gandhi International airport at Shamshabad two hours behind schedule due to delay in flight from New Delhi. From Shamshabad, he boarded a charted chopper and reached Begumpet airport where a rousing reception awaited him. From here, he left in a massive victory procession to Telangana martyrs’ memorial at Gun Park near assembly amidst beating of drums, playing of songs, dancing by thousands of men and women.

Clad in traditional dress women holding Bathukamma welcomed KCR who flashed victory sign as he came out of the airport and boarded the Vijaya Ratham along with K Keshava Rao, Vinod, M Jagannatham and Naini Narsimha Reddy.

The cultural troupe enthralled people by singing songs in memory of T martyrs and recalled the struggle for separate Telangana since 1956. Prior to arrival of KCR, a rally was taken out from Telangana Bhavan to Begumpet by TRS youth wing.

The centre of attraction of the rally was the inclusion of Camels, horses and cultural artists from different parts of Telangana. TRS painted the city pink, the colour of its flag. Huge cut-outs of KCR, hoardings, party flags, banners and other graffiti adorned the traffic intersections and the road from Begumpet Airport to Gun Park. The procession brought the busy areas in the city to a halt as police imposed traffic restrictions on roads joining the seven-km long procession route. It took over an hour for the rally to cover a distance of about half a kilometer from Begumpet airport to Shoppers stop in the area.

After paying rich tributes to Telangana martyrs at Gun Park, he went in a procession to Telangana Bhavan in a huge procession.

Thousands of TRS workers from all the 10 districts of the region turned out to welcome KCR, who returned after nearly a month-long stay in Delhi. The Bill for formation of separate Telangana state was passed by both Houses of parliament last week.

Before leaving for Delhi last month, KCR had said he was leaving from Andhra Pradesh but would return in Telangana state.

A Telangana supporter from Shadnagar in Mahabubnagar A Lingaiah said that he came to city pay tributes to martyrs on the occasion of the KCR’s rally. The befitting tribute to the martyrs is to extend all help to the families of those who sacrificed their lives to the cause of Telangana, he added.