‘Why should CM receive PM who is visiting Hyderabad for a political meeting?’

Hyderabad: In a sharp counter to the BJP’s allegations, the State government ruled out any protocol violation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reception upon his arrival at Begumpet airport in Hyderabad on Sunday. The BJP leaders accused Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao of insulting the Prime Minister and violating the protocol by not receiving him at the airport.

However, Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav stated that the Chief Minister was not required to receive the Prime Minister who was in Hyderabad for a political event. He reminded that even in case of the Prime Minister’s official visit, the protocol requires only one State representative to extend the welcome.

“Why should the Chief Minister receive him? As per the protocol, a State representative is supposed to go and give an invitation. So, I am going there to receive him as a Minister,” he told mediapersons.

This is the third time in last six months that Chandrashekar Rao chose not to receive Prime Minister Modi upon the latter’s arrival at Hyderabad’s Begumpet airport. In February this year, the Chief Minister abstained from receiving the Prime Minister during his visit to Hyderabad and again he went to Bengaluru when Modi visited Hyderabad in May this year.