Padma Rao elected Deputy Speaker unopposed

Hyderabad: Both the ruling party and opposition members in the Assembly hailed T Padma Rao Goud for his simplicity and his service to the people of his constituency and his role in the Telangana agitation as he was elected unanimously as the Deputy Speaker of Telangana Assembly.

Padma Rao Goud was declared elected unanimous for the post of Deputy Speaker by Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy. He asked the floor leaders to accompany Padma Rao to the chair. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Leader of Opposition Bhatti Vikramarka, MIM member Ahmed Pasha Quadri, BJP member T Raja Singh accompanied Goud to the chair.

Recalling his association with Padma Rao for the last 20 years, the Chief Minister said that Padma Rao was a man with simplicity and recalled his services to the party and for Telangana during the agitation period. He said that Padma Rao was the leader who led Telangana agitation in twin cities. “He was instrumental in making party’s first meeting in Parade Grounds a huge success and also played crucial role in the victory of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in city,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister further said that toddy shops in city, which were closed in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, were reopened during the tenure of Padma Rao as Excise Minister. He said that Padma Rao maintained good relations with the people of his constituency and stayed in his basti even after becoming a Minister.

Bhatti Vikramarka said that being unanimously elected speaks about the relations Padma Rao has with all party leaders. “Very few people get this honour. When I was Deputy Speaker, I had to face election. Treat ruling party and opposition members alike and give ample opportunities to both the sides,” Vikramarka said. He recalled that Rao was first a Congress leader, who became Corporator of the party.

Legislative Affairs Minister V Prashanth Reddy said that Padma Rao was a backbone for the party and Telangana agitation in Hyderabad. Home Minister Md Mahmood Ali said that Padma Rao had earned respect of the people of the constituency. “He is available to people even at midnight. He is an example for the ‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb’ in the city,” Ali said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member T Raja Singh hailed Goud for taking up effective rehabilitation of Gudumba makers in Dhoolpet.

K T Rama Rao said that he had worked with Goud for about ten years and complimented him for his commitment towards the party and people. Harish Rao said that during his stint as Sports Minister players like Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Sindhu achieved medals. Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that though he and Padma Rao were in different parties, there was no individual rivalry. He disclosed that after fighting against each other, they both came to an understanding that they would contest from different constituencies.

TRS member B Suman said that Padma Rao helped him personally during his marriage and also in the agitation. Danam Nagender recalled that he was the one who forcibly gave B-Form to Goud for contesting as Corporator. Several other members including Minister Eatala Rajender, Padma Devender Reddy, S Niranjan Reddy, V Srinivas Goud, G Jagadish Reddy, Ahmed Balala also shared anecdotes about Padma Rao.