Festive air over Hyderabad as new government takes reins

Secretariat employees waiting for Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday. | Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

The man in dhoti and white shirt was agog with excitement as he passed the southwest entrance of the Secretariat building. While journalists stopped to write down their name and accreditation number, a policeman ordered everyone to be let inside.

“Don’t stop the people here. Let them undergo the security check and go inside. They will leave after sometime,” said the officer as the people trooped into another room and passed through a metal detector and were frisked before stepping inside. Then they ran across the lawn and reached the grand portico of the Secretariat. The Secretariat that was out of bounds for most people was now the turf for the people who voted in the new government.

A roar went up as the motorcade of newly sworn-in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reached the entrance and the police band sounded the welcome bugle. As the people craned and aimed their cellphone cameras on Revanth Reddy, the secretariat building appeared as if it belonged to the people.

“I have come from Wanaparthy for the swearing-in. But, we missed seeing the Minister’s chambers as we reached after 5 p.m.,” said Dvarapu Ganesh, who came with his brother and other friends for the event. He was not alone. There were hundreds of men and women who thronged the Secretariat and walked inside the corridors posing for photographs or clicking selfies.

Mr. Ganesh’s brother Venkatesh uploaded the images from outside the Secretariat onto his social media account.

In the evening, as the last blowtorch released fiery sparks, the awning that separated the pathway to CM’s camp office came down. “It is our money. Good it is coming down. Now, we will not have to stop here for traffic to move,” said a passerby to a group of policemen who kept motorists away from the flying sparks.

In the heart of the city around LB Stadium a celebratory air prevailed from afternoon. Almost every corner of the city was festooned with tricoloured banners and buntings with a images of a new set of politicos beaming down on the people. The footpath near the CM’s camp office was also not spared, with some of the larger advertisements blocking the footpaths and others posing danger to the motorists.