Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao skipped the low-key Republic Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan, where Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan unfurled the national flag here on Wednesday.
Ironically, no minister made it to the function, which only had the presence of chief secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M. Mahender Reddy and some officials.
Meanwhile, Rao unfurled the national flag at Pragathi Bhavan and paid floral tributes at the army memorial in Parade Grounds.
Unlike the last two years when the main R-Day ceremony was held at Public Gardens, this time the venue was shifted to Raj Bhavan in view of Covid restrictions on mass gatherings.
The absence of Rao and his ministers at Raj Bhavan has become a subject of hot debate in political and bureaucratic circles.
Since the governor had to proceed to Puducherry where she is holding the additional charge of lieutenant-governor, the celebration began at 7 a.m. and was completed within 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, though sworn to be ‘apolitical’, Assembly speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, who hoisted the national flag in the Legislative Assembly premises, spoke about 'politics' in his speech. He accused the NDA government of taking decisions, which were against the 'federal spirit' of the Constitution. He also found fault with it on the paddy procurement issue. He appealed to the Centre not to create hurdles for the state government in the implementation of development programmes and welfare schemes.
He slammed the Centre for not responding to Telangana government's demand on paddy procurement even after a team of ministers visited Delhi and had submitted representations.
