KCR to stay away as Modi visits Telangana, won’t receive PM at airport

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (Image: PTI)

Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao will stay away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the southern state on April 8, a report said.

The CM would also not receive the Prime Minister at Hyderabad’s Begumpet airport on his arrival, news agency ANI reported.

Modi is visiting the state to inaugurate projects worth Rs 11,360 crore and will later fly to Tamil Nadu to open the new terminal of the Chennai airport.

Telangana is due for assembly elections later this year and the BJP’s attempts to make inroads in the state have pitted it against KCR’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi, formerly the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

KCR renamed the regional party in October 2022, reflecting his national ambitions. The chief minister has been in touch with opposition parties to stitch a coalition ahead of the next year’s general elections to take on the BJP-led NDA.

Also Read | PM Modi to inaugurate new terminal of Chennai airport on April 8

Hyderabad visit

Modi will lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore in Telangana and also flag off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express in the state capital.

The Secunderabad-Tirupati Express, which will connect Hyderabad to Tirupati, is the second Vande Bharat train to be launched in Telangana. It is expected to reduce the travel time between the two cities by almost three and half hours and is expected to boost pilgrim traffic to the Hindu temple town in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Modi would reach Secunderabad station at 11.45 am and flag off the train at 12.15 pm, sources told news agency PTI. He would also attend a public function at the Parade Ground.

The Prime Minister is expected to lay the stone of redevelopment of the Secunderabad railway station and inaugurate other rail development projects.

Foundation stones of AIIMS Bibinagar and five national highway projects will also be laid by Modi.

 (With agency inputs)