Hyderabad decked up for historic day

Hyderabad: The celebration is already in the air. The long and arduous struggle for Statehood is over and it is now time for rejoicing over Telangana's historic tryst with destiny. Come June 2, it will be a new dawn.

The TRS, set to form the first government in the new State, is making all-out efforts to celebrate the formation day on a grand scale. People of Telangana across 10 districts including the capital city are eagerly waiting to welcome heralding of the 29th State of India.

The capital and historical city of Hyderabad is being decked up and right from the official machinery to the TRS cadre, everyone is seen busy in making the historic occasion a memorable experience for the people of Telangana.

The TRS leaders in the city are already busy making arrangements to welcome the first Chief Minister of Telangana Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, who would take oath at Raj Bhavan at 8.15 am and would also take part in the formation day celebrations at Parade Grounds in the afternoon.

Before that, the TRS chief would pay tributes to the Telangana martyrs at Gun Park near Assembly. At the official celebration venue at Parade Grounds, the officials of department of culture are making arrangements like preparing tableaux of various government departments and march past by police personnel.

The TRS leaders are virtually painting the city pink to welcome the first Chief Minister of Telangana. The party has handed over responsibility of undertaking celebration in the city to lone TRS MLA from Hyderabad district T Padma Rao.

Padma Rao said that cultural programmes would be organized at 61 places in the city on the formation day. 'There would be 400 to 500 giant hoardings in the city to welcome KCR. Historical places and monuments will be decked up,' he said. The party leaders were asked to celebrate the formation day by hoisting national flag and taking up victory rallies.

'People laid down their lives for the cause of separate State. This is a historic occasion for every Telanganite and the celebrations must go on for days,' said G Dharam Raj Chaudhry, TRS Greater Hyderabad general secretary.

On the eve of the formation day, the leaders have arranged for huge fireworks spectacle in every constituency. At the inter-State boundaries, the TRS cadres are planning to put up welcome arches with 'Welcome to Telangana' boards.

The Telangana political JAC too has chalked out programmes as it has decided to celebrate from 11 pm on June 1. JAC chairman M Kodandaram would unfurl JAC flag at the JAC office at 00.00 hours, pay tributes at Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park. The JAC has asked the district JACs to take up victory rallies.

Other parties too have asked their cadre to celebrate the formation day in a grand style. Telangana Congress president Ponnala Lakshmaiah asked the rank and file of the party to welcome the birth of Telangana State by bursting fire crackers.

'On June 2, flag hoisting, holding of blood donation camps, health and medical camps and distribution of milk and fruits to the aged and children should be taken up,' Ponnala instructed.

The BJP too has asked its cadre in all the constituencies to distribute sweets and burst fire crackers involving the people in their localities. TDP leader Ramana said that the celebrations by TDP would start from the night of June 1.

'Many people have sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana and the martyrs' families will be felicitated in a fitting manner,' said Ramana.