Komatireddy sulks and walks out of Begumpet airport over Uttam’s delay for Nagarjuna Sagar trip

Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy walked out of Begumpet airport after Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy arrived an hour late for their scheduled helicopter trip to Nagarjuna Sagar. The incident reignites tensions between the two senior ministers.

HYDERABAD: Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy stormed out of the Begumpet airport on Tuesday morning, sulking over Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy’s late arrival for a scheduled helicopter trip to Nagarjuna Sagar.

As per the itinerary, the Ministers, including SC/ST Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman, were to depart from Begumpet airport at 9 a.m. to participate in the opening of the crest gates at the Nagarjuna Sagar project. Komatireddy and Adluri Laxman arrived at the airport on time.

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However, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy failed to arrive as scheduled, forcing the other Ministers to wait until 10 a.m. An irate Komatireddy reportedly raised objections with the officials over the delay and left the airport in protest.

Soon after, Uttam Kumar Reddy reached the airport and, after speaking with officials, boarded the helicopter to Nagarjuna Sagar along with Minister Adluri Laxman.

The incident comes at a time when the two senior Ministers had, in recent months, maintained cordial relations and even exchanged compliments at public events. Tuesday’s developments, however, appear to have strained ties once again.