Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has kept away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in Hyderabad on Saturday, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition BJP.
Amidst the election heat in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other states, Modi was in the southern state for the inaugural ceremony of a grand 216 feet metallic “Statue of Equality” of the 11th century saint Sri Ramanujacharya. He also participated in the International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) golden jubilee celebrations.
KCR instead deputed animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to receive and send off Modi.
The CM stated the reason for his absence to be a 'mild fever'.
He has, in recent months, taken a confrontational path, criticising the central government over issues like its alleged refusal to procure Telangana Paddy and “the lack of funds, support to the state on various fronts.”
Following the Union Budget announcement earlier this week, KCR further lashed out at Modi with several snide remarks, which the BJP has termed as objectionable.
In a statement during a live press conference on Tuesday, he proclaimed that the country needs a new Constitution. KCR complained that the Centre was usurping the powers of the states with the excuse of 'concurrent list'.
During the course of his attack on the BJP led Union government, he said he is touch with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and would meet him soon.
The BJP held protests, condemning KCR's “need to change the Constitution” remarks as an insult to Dr BR Ambedkar.
“KCR has been regularly insulting the Constitution. And now he is violating the protocols. It is an idiotic and shameful act on part of the CM. He stooped to a new low by sending an unimportant minister, following Chandrababu, Channi footsteps. You will be paid back,” state BJP leaders said in a series of tweets with hashtag - #ShameOnYouKCR.
The CM, known to be speaking for the “need of a federal front” which is a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance, had recently met with the Left, RJD and DMK leaders. Later, Rao appealed to the public to think and “throw out the anti-farmer BJP.”
KCR's TRS has nine seats in the Lok Sabha and six in Rajya Sabha. Analysts say Rao's outbursts are indicative of his ambitions of a larger role in the national politics, while retaining power in the state in the 2023 assembly elections.
The CM, along with his wife participated in the Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham on Thursday, two days before the PM visit.
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