Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Saturday backed the Centre’s denial of political clearance for Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s proposed United States tour.
He also demanded that the Chief Minister publicly explain the purpose of the Revanth US visit. Rao alleged that Revanth Reddy had planned meetings with individuals whose positions on India had drawn controversy.
He said the people of Telangana deserved to know why the Chief Minister wanted such meetings. In a press statement, Rao referred to reports about a possible meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
He asked why the Chief Minister’s official itinerary did not mention the proposed meeting. “Why did the Chief Minister want to meet Zohran Mamdani? What purpose would such a meeting serve Telangana?” Rao asked.
He said the questions surrounding the proposed programme supported the Ministry of External Affairs’ decision to deny political clearance.
Revanth US visit and proposed Mamdani meeting
Rao said reports about the Revanth US visit had raised serious questions over the proposed interaction with Mamdani. The BJP leader alleged that Mamdani had taken positions that drew criticism from sections of Indian-American and Hindu communities.
He referred to Mamdani’s participation in protests over the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan in 2020. Rao also cited Mamdani’s political opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Modi’s 2023 United States visit.
“It is now becoming clear that CM Revanth Reddy wanted to meet spokespersons of anti-India forces,” Rao alleged. He also linked those individuals with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a political attack.
However, Rao offered no additional details in his statement to support that allegation. The Telangana BJP president also referred to criticism of Mamdani by senior Congress leader and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
According to Rao, Singhvi had publicly questioned Mamdani’s positions on India. Rao said the issue went beyond a political dispute. Instead, he said the matter raised questions about the purpose and expected outcome of an official foreign visit.
BJP seeks Revanth US visit explanation
Rao demanded that the Chief Minister explain what benefit the Revanth US visit would have brought to Telangana. He also sought an explanation of the proposed meeting with Mamdani.
“If the US visit was intended to attract investments and serve Telangana’s interests, what was the purpose of seeking a meeting with Zohran Mamdani?” he asked. Rao also questioned what benefit the proposed interaction could have delivered to the state.
He asked Revanth Reddy to explain why he wanted the meeting and how it related to Telangana’s interests. The BJP leader also sought clarity on the circumstances behind the Centre’s refusal to grant political clearance.
According to Rao, people had a right to know the complete purpose of the proposed foreign tour. He said that need became more important if the programme contained meetings that did not appear in the official itinerary.
Rao questions purpose of proposed meetings
Rao said every official overseas programme by the Chief Minister should clearly serve Telangana’s interests. He said investment promotion and economic development could provide a legitimate purpose for foreign engagements.
However, Rao argued that unexplained political meetings required public scrutiny. He therefore asked Revanth Reddy to clarify the proposed schedule and explain the Centre’s decision.
Rao said the Chief Minister should disclose why he had sought the reported meeting with Mamdani. He also demanded details of the benefit Telangana could have expected from such an interaction.
The Telangana BJP president maintained that the Revanth US visit required a full explanation because it involved an official programme. He said the people deserved answers about the planned meetings, their purpose and their expected outcome.
Rao also asked the Chief Minister to explain any engagements that did not appear in the publicly disclosed itinerary. He said transparency would help clarify why the Centre had denied political clearance for the tour.
The BJP leader reiterated that the Chief Minister should directly address the questions surrounding the proposed visit. He maintained that the government owed people a clear account of the tour’s objectives and the relevance of each proposed meeting.