Telangana CM to skip receiving PM again (Lead)

Hyderabad, April 6 (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 Thursday 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.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to flag off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express at Secunderabad railway station and later attend a public meeting at Parade Ground to inaugurate or lay foundation stones for various projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore.

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.

After Sanjay's dramatic arrest late on Tuesday night, he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

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

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, had not received Modi when he had arrived on November 12, 2022 to dedicate Ramagundam fertiliser plant to the nation.

The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had taken exception to the PMO not extending a proper invitation to the Chief Minister.

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 (ISB).

Just before the Prime Minister's arrival, the Chief Minister flew to Bengaluru to call on former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

In February last year, KCR had stayed away from receiving Modi on his visit to the city to unveil the statue of equality.

This had evoked strong reaction from BJP leaders, who alleged that the Chief Minister is insulting the office of the Prime Minister.