KCR receives President Murmu but skips dinner at Raj Bhavan

Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu was given a rousing welcome on Monday as she arrived in the city as part of her five-day southern sojourn, with Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao, his Cabinet colleagues and Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan receiving her at the Hakimpet airport.

The President, after arriving at Shamshabad airport from New Delhi earlier in the day, took a helicopter to Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh for darshan at the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy. She reached Hakimpet airport after darshan, where the CM honoured the President with a bouquet and a shawl.

This is Murmu’s maiden visit to Telangana after assuming office in July this year. She will stay at Rashtrapati Nilayam, Bolaram, and participate in different programmes during her stay in the city till December 30.

Prior to the arrival of the President, both the Governor and the Chief Minister were seen interacting on the dais at Hakimpet airport. The CM met the Governor after a gap of six months.

He last met her at the Raj Bhavan on June 28 this year when he attended the oath taking ceremony of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court. Since then, the CM avoided visiting the Raj Bhavan or meeting the Governor.

Apart from the CM and the Governor, Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy, Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, Cabinet ministers, BRS MLAs, MLCs, MPs, and other elected representatives, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay, Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, and DGP M. Mahendar Reddy extended warm welcome to the President at the Hakimpet airport.

Later, the President proceeded to the War Memorial in Secunderabad's Parade Ground to pay floral tributes to martyred soldiers. Governor Soundararajan hosted the President's dinner at the Raj Bhavan, which the Chief Minister and minister K.T.Rama Rao did not attend. Rama Rao met the President at Hakimpet airport.

After greeting the President at Hakimpet airport, the CM left for his farmhouse in Erravelli, on the outskirts of the city. Governor Soundararajan, union minister G. Kishan Reddy, Council chairman Sukender Reddy and Assembly speaker Srinivas Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP Mahender Reddy and other top officials attended the dinner at Raj Bhavan.

TPCC leader A. Revanth Reddy, Bandi Sanjay, and Telangana TD president Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj were also present. Interestingly, Revanth Reddy, Sanjay, and Gnaneshwar were standing in the line along with ministers to greet the President.

Earlier, when the President arrived at Shamshabad airport from Delhi at about 10 am, she was greeted by Governor Soundararajan, minister Satyavathi Rathod, Cyberabad commissioner of police Stephen Raveendra, and others.