Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was re-elected unanimously as the President of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) at the party's annual plenary that began at Kompally on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Friday.

TRS electoral returning officer Nayini Narasimha Reddy, who is also the Home Minister, announced Rao's election for the eighth consecutive time, minutes before the beginning of the plenary.

His announcement was greeted with drum beats and distribution of sweets by the party leaders.

Narasimha Reddy said Rao's was the only nomination received for the party chief's post. Party leaders filed 12 sets of nomination papers all on behalf of Rao.  

KCR, as Rao popularly known, has been holding the post since floating the party in 2001 to revive the movement for separate statehood to Telangana.

Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. TRS won the elections held the same year and formed the first government in the newly created state.