KCR Flies To Bangalore Before PM's Arrival

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao flew out of Hyderabad to Bangalore today a couple of hours before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the city.

KCR left for the Karnataka capital in a special aircraft from the Begumpet airport, where PM Modi landed shortly after for a two-and-a-half-hour-long visit to the city.

The Prime Minister was in the city to attend 20th anniversary celebrations of the Indian School of Business (ISB).

KCR, who is eyeing a key role in national politics, called on former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H D Deve Gowda in Bangalore.

The TRS leader was accompanied by party MP J Santosh Kumar, four MLAs and other party leaders.

This is the second time in less than four months that KCR avoided greeting Prime Minister Modi on the latter's arrival in Hyderabad.

KCR had not received Modi on his arrival in Hyderabad on February 5, and had also skipped the two programs attended by the PM then.

During the day-long visit then, the PM had unveiled the statue of saint Ramanujacharya, and had inaugurated the 50th anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT.

KCR had come under sharp criticism then from the BJP, which alleged that the CM had insulted the PM.

KCR's action was viewed in some political circles then as a symbolic protest against the Modi government's "discrimination" against Telangana.

However, the Chief Minister had later clarified that he did not receive the PM as a couple of his family members had Covid-like symptoms.

This time, too, the PM is visiting Hyderabad at a time when KCR has stepped up his efforts to work for a national alternative. The CM has been holding consultations with leaders of various political parties, and had in fact returned to Hyderabad only on Monday from Delhi after a four-day visit to the national capital and Chandigarh.

The state leadership of the BJP has slammed KCR for once again avoiding a meeting with the Prime Minister. Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the Chief Minister was running away from the State to avoid facing Modi, and that KCR had deliberately planned his visit to other States as he was scared of facing the PM.

The TRS leaders, however, rubbished the allegations by BJP, claiming that KCR's visit to Bangalore was already scheduled.