Rama Krishna Sangem
TRS chief and Telangana CM KCR has stayed away from PM Modi’s 8- hour visit to Hyderabad on February 5, Saturday. Though sources close to him mentioned his mild illness as the reason for his decision to stay away, there was no official medical bulletin from his office. Only a few days ago, KCR said at a media conference that he would definitely go to receive the PM.
But, hours before the arrival of PM at Shamshabad International Airport at 1.45 pm, news came in that KCR would not be there to receive Modi. Only a minister – Talasani Srinivas Yadav, named as the minister on waiting was there at the airport – for receiving and seeing off. Curiously, no other TRS ministers or MLAs were seen during Modi’s visit. Not even Hyderabad mayor Vijaya Lakshmi.
Not unexpectedly, a war of words broke out between TRS and BJP on the absence of KCR during Modi’s visit. BJP leaders termed it as an insult to the high office of PM while TRS leaders defended their boss saying the PM was only on a private visit. TRS leaders even ran a social media campaign calling for “Equality for Telangana” indirectly referring to Modi unveiling the Statue of Equality” of Ramanuja.
However, it was KCR who actively took part in the arrangements for the entire week long event to mark the 1000th birth anniversary of Sri Ramanuja. The CM personally went round the ashram several times and directed his ministers and officials to see that there shall not be any inconvenience to the thousands of guests who are expected to visit the ashram.
The reason for his sudden decision to stay away from Modi’s visit is KCR’s firm stand against the BJP ruled Centre, on both political and administrative grounds. KCR wants to convey a message to all non-BJP regional parties that he would go to any length to maintain distance from BJP and Modi. After all, Bengal CM Mamata too had skipped PM Modi’s visits to her state many times in the past.
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