Telangana CM KCR To Skip Receiving Modi Again

HYDERABAD, (IANS) – Reprising his old stand, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will again skip receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the latter arrives here on April 8 to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various projects.

The state government on April 6 named Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav as minister-in-waiting for the Prime Minister’s visit, and he will receive Modi on his arrival at the Begumpet Airport.

This is the fifth time in the last 14 months that the Chief Minister will not be receiving the Prime Minister on the latter’s visit to the state.

The latest visit by Modi comes at a time when Telangana police have arrested state BJP President and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar in Class 10 question paper leak case.

BJP leaders have alleged that Sanjay was arrested deliberately on the eve of the PM’s visit.

The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had taken exception to the PMO not extending a proper invitation to the Chief Minister. The state is also miffed with the BJP central government locking state funds despite several pleas, for political reasons.

Earlier, KCR had skipped welcoming Modi on July 2 when the latter had arrived for BJP’s National Executive meet. In May, KCR had avoided welcoming Modi when the latter was in Hyderabad to attend 20th annual celebrations of the Indian School of Business. Just before the Prime Minister’s arrival, the Chief Minister flew to Bengaluru to call on former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.