Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy defended his plans to meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a proposed trip to the United States—to which the Centre denied political clearance last week.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Friday that the Centre had denied clearance for the US leg of Reddy’s overseas trip, stating that the proposed programme was “not appropriate” for his office. Apart from businesses, Reddy had also indicated he may meet elected officials in the US, ThePrint had reported.
“Mamdani is an elected leader; he is not an anti-social element. Also, the High Commission in any city in the USA is supposed to facilitate my visit if I want to meet them wherever I travel,” he said Monday in response to a media query on his intention to meet the New York City Mayor.
At a press conference at the state Secretariat, Reddy displayed a letter sent by the Telangana government to the MEA, saying that his visit’s aim was to “meet key stakeholders, prestigious world-class universities, sports institutions, and potential strategic partners”.
“My objective was to make Telangana a sports and education hub by bringing in investments from top universities in the UK and USA. My visit was part of the road show for the Telangana Rising Global Investors Summit to be held in December. By denying permission for my tour, Prime Minister Modi is still acting like the leader of Gujarat and not as PM of the country,” he said.
Reddy also contrasted the decision with the Centre’s permission to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for his visit to the US and Canada to promote the ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ investors summit.
Divisions within party
Revanth Reddy returned from London early Monday after visiting Oxford and Cambridge universities, besides attending All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi’s daughter’s wedding.
The chief minister was to leave for the US from London and return to Hyderabad only on 30 August, but instead had to cut short his trip after the MEA’s decision.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) slammed the move as “partisan” rather than a matter of administrative protocol.
Those in public office, including chief ministers, state ministers and MPs, require what is called political clearance from the MEA before they travel abroad for official purposes.
In case of chief ministers, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) must submit the proposed reason for the trip along with the schedule of meetings they wish to undertake.
Reddy’s press conference with five other ministers and at least three advisers beside him also drew attention as it came amid tensions within Telangana Congress.
Ministers Uttam Reddy, Seethakka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Bhatti Vikramarka and Tummala Nageswara Rao were seen sitting beside the chief minister as he addressed the media.
However, political observers questioned the unexpected show of unity as none of his cabinet colleagues condemned the sharp remarks by fellow minister Konda Surekha’s daughter against the chief minister.
“The body language of the ministers did not seem very encouraging. Peace is surely to have been brokered, but the ice is still to break,” Kalyan Chandra, a political analyst, told ThePrint.
Sources in the Telangana Congress added that at least 42 elected legislators and MLCs were called by the CM’s advisor Vem Narendra Reddy on Friday to attend a press conference convened by MLAs to seek Konda Surekha’s ouster from the state cabinet.
However, with only 18 MLAs and MLCs attending the press conference and none of the ministers condemning the remarks, talks of a rift between the old Congress and “Revanth’s TDP Congress” resurfaced.
Political tensions in the state escalated after Konda Sushmita, daughter of veteran Congress leaders Konda Surekha and Konda Murali, made controversial comments at Geesukonda, Warangal on 19 August.
The comments, made during her mother’s birthday celebrations, were over Revanth Reddy’s choice of an MLA candidate for the 2028 assembly elections.
The dispute over candidate selection for the Parkal assembly constituency arose after CM Revanth Reddy recently voiced his support for the sitting MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy.
Sushmita, a member of the Congress party who does not hold any official position, launched a direct attack on the state’s leadership.
She declared herself the party’s MLA aspirant and accused the chief minister of developing an “arrogant” attitude and favouring Telugu Desam leaders over Congress leaders.
The dispute triggered an open war between the two camps in the Congress, prompting the party’s disciplinary committee to issue a showcause notice to Surekha.
Political observers said the silence of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and the state cabinet exposed the differences among ministers.
While the MLAs’ press conference is being seen as Revanth’s “show of strength”, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s meeting with Surekha is seen as a support for the Backward Classes leader who has a strong political base in Warangal.
TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud’s absence from the MLA’s press conference led to speculation that the former confidant of Revanth was now no longer in the CM’s camp.
“That only 18-20 MLAs showed up has not gone unnoticed. The AICC surely is using the Konda Surekha issue to assess if Revanth Reddy still commands a favourable image within the party and if the cabinet is with him,” said Kalyan Chandra.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)