Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday criticised the Centre for denying political clearance for his proposed visit to the United States, saying the trip was aimed at attracting investments
in education and sports and positioning Telangana as a premier hub in these sectors.
Reddy, who recently returned from a visit to the United Kingdom, called the Centre’s move an “insult to Telangana.”
“The Gujarat Chief Minister has received permission to visit the US and Canada to promote Vibrant Gujarat 2047. But when the Telangana Chief Minister wants to visit the US for a similar purpose, our visit is cancelled. This is an insult to Telangana.”
The CM said the proposed US trip was part of the state’s broader development agenda under the “Viksit Bharat 2047” framework.
“The central government denied permission to Telangana CM to visit USA. The visit was for the development of the state. My visit was to get investments in education and sports,” Reddy said.
“The MEA had denied my visa and the Central government BJP leaders have spoken against my visit and questioned it as well. I can’t respond to what the BJP leaders have been saying. It’s between the two governments,” he said.
Reddy said the proposed visit was focused on one-on-one meetings with key stakeholders and investors, with the objective of promoting Telangana as a leading destination for education and sports.
He asked why the Centre gave him permission to visit the UK and cancelled his visit to the USA.
MEA Explains Why Reddy’s US Visit Was denied
The Ministry of External Affairs, last week, said the Telangana CM’s proposed US visit did not meet the criteria required for political clearance.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries are assessed by the ministry before political clearance is granted.
“Let me say that the visit of chief ministers, as indeed of other dignitaries, are assessed by the Ministry of External Affairs in order to accord political clearance,” Jaiswal said.
He added that the proposed programme must be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit.
“In this particular case, that was not so in respect of the United States, and therefore the clearance was denied,” Jaiswal said.
He, however, clarified that the Centre had granted political clearance for Reddy’s visit to the United Kingdom.
G Kishan Reddy Calls It a Technical Matter
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said the denial of clearance was not a political issue and pointed to established procedures governing foreign visits by chief ministers. “Regarding a Chief Minister’s travels, neither the BJP nor the Central Government has any direct involvement in the matter itself. However, there are established rules—in place since the Congress era,” he said.
Reddy said decisions on whether such visits should be permitted are taken after discussions with the relevant ministry and that political clearance is required before undertaking such trips.
He said chief ministers are not always granted clearance for foreign visits and described the matter as a procedural one.
“These protocols have been in effect since the Congress era. For a Chief Minister to travel to London—or engage in activities there—without prior permission is absolutely wrong. This is not a political issue—whether it involves our party or another—but rather a technical one,” he said.
BRS Seeks Explanation From BJP
The controversy also drew criticism from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), with party leader Sravan Dasoju calling the denial of permission an “extraordinary and unwanted event”.
“To deny permission to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to visit America is not an ordinary event. It is an extraordinary and unwanted event, and more than that, it is an assault on the pride of Telangana and the four crore people of Telangana,” Dasoju said.
