Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will stay away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s July 8 visit to Warangal, where he will lay the foundation for infrastructure projects worth Rs 6,100 crore, BRS sources said.
The last encounter between Rao and Modi was in 2021, since when the former has been actively avoiding the country’s top minister.
There was speculation that changing political equations in Telangana — sparked by Congress’ victory in Karnataka elections — may force Rao to rethink and attend the Prime Minister’s programmes, but BRS sources denied such a possibility.
However, speculations are rife in BRS circles that Rao may receive Modi as per protocol when he lands at the Hakimpet Air Force Station on July 8 before the Prime Minister leaves for Warangal.
BRS leaders were non-committal in their responses to questions on the same, but sources said there is a strong possibility of Chandrashekar Rao either receiving or sending off the Prime Minister, as per protocol.
Citing recent developments wherein the BRS spared the BJP in attacks, a June 15 statement by Rao, calling Modi his “good friend” and saying they often exchange ideas on best practices in the state, points to a change of heart among the BRS’ top brass. Rao had made the remarks at a press conference after inaugurating his party's office in Nagpur in Maharashtra, as part of his plans to expand BRS to other states.
Sources said that while Rao continued to meet Modi until September 3, 2021, the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll in October 2021 served to change Rao’s stance.
The Chief Minister has not been receiving the Prime Minister since February 5, 2022, when Modi came to Hyderabad to inaugurate the ‘Statue of Equality’ at Chinna Jeeyar Swamy ashram on the city outskirts and to take part in the diamond jubilee celebrations of Icrisat.
Modi visited Hyderabad again in May 2022 to take part in the 20th-anniversary celebrations of ISB-Hyderabad.
The Prime Minister visited Hyderabad again in July 2022 to take part in the BJP's national executive meeting at HICC and address a public meeting at Parade Ground in Secunderabad.
However, the CMO cited PM’s “private visits” as the reason for Rao skipping the protocol on the three occasions.
But there was no such excuse during Modi’s November 2022 visit to the city, when he inaugurated the Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited in Ramagundam. Minister Talasani Srinivas was deputed to receive and see off the Prime Minister on the occasion.
In 2023, the Prime Minister visited Hyderabad on April 8 to inaugurate and lay the foundation for various infrastructure projects worth '11,355 crore, but Rao gave Modi a miss then too, based on which BRS leaders are not optimistic of Rao adhering to the protocol this time around.
