KCR to avoid meeting PM Modi again

Hyderabad, May 24 (IANS) For the second time in less than four months, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will avoid greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrives in Hyderabad on Thursday to attend 20th annual celebrations at the Indian School of Business (ISB).

Eyeing a key role in national politics, Rao is scheduled to be in Bengaluru on that day to meet former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda.

KCR, who returned to Hyderabad on Monday from Delhi after a four-day visit to the national capital and Chandigarh, is likely to leave for Bengaluru on Wednesday evening.

As per the schedule already announced, KCR will reach Bengaluru on May 26. He will call on former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The next day, he will leave for Ralegan Siddhi where he will meet prominent social activist Anna Hazare. From there, he will go to Shirdi for Saibaba's darshan and will then return to Hyderabad.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief had called on Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav during his stay in Delhi.

He along with Kejriwal also travelled to Chandigarh and they were joined by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for a programme on May 22, where KCR handed over cheques of Rs 3 lakh each to families of farmers who died during the movement against the three farm laws brought by the Centre.

He presented cheques of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of four Army personnel from Punjab who were martyred during clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley.

Prime Minister Modi is visiting Hyderabad on May 26 to participate in 20th annual day celebrations of the ISB and graduation ceremony of the post graduate programme Class of 2022 of the business school.

As per the programme announced by ISB dean Madan Pillutla, the Prime Minister will address the students of both Hyderabad and Mohali campuses.

During the ISB visit, PM Modi will plant a sapling, unveil a commemorative plaque and release the ISB MyStamp and Special Cover. He will also award medals to the academic scholars of excellence.

The ISB had invited CM KCR for the event. The dean said the chief minister conveyed his best wishes and also informed that he would not be able to attend the event in view of his scheduled visit to another state.

KCR had not received Modi on his arrival in Hyderabad on February 5 and also skipped the two programmes attended by the Prime Minister.

During the day-long visit, the Prime Minister had unveiled the statue of saint Ramanujacharya and inaugurated 50th anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT.

KCR had come under sharp criticism from BJP, which alleged that KCR insulted the Prime Minister.

KCR's action was viewed in political circles as a symbolic protest against the Narendra Modi government's discrimination against Telangana.

The PM's visit had also come amid bitter attack by the TRS chief on BJP for its failure on all fronts and for whipping up communal passions in various parts of the country for political mileage.

However, the chief minister had later clarified that he did not receive Modi as a couple of his family members had Covid-like symptoms.

This time too, Modi is visiting Hyderabad at a time when KCR has stepped up his efforts to work for a national alternative. He has been holding consultations with leaders of various political parties.

At the 20th formation day celebrations of TRS, KCR had hinted at floating a national party to play a key role in national politics.

The state leadership of BJP has slammed KCR for once again avoiding a meeting with the Prime Minister. State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the TRS chief is running away from the state to avoid facing Modi.

He said KCR deliberately planned his visit to other states as he was scared of facing the Prime Minister.