MEA Denies Political Clearance for Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s US Trip

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially clarified its decision to deny political clearance for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s planned visit to the United States, stating that the proposed itinerary was not deemed suitable for his official position.

The disclosure comes after the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) announced the cancellation of the US leg of Reddy’s tour, citing the Centre’s refusal of permission on what it termed "political grounds."

"Not Appropriate for the Office"

Speaking at a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that the government assesses all foreign travel requests from state dignitaries based on strict protocols.

"The visits of Chief Ministers, as indeed those of other dignitaries, are assessed by the Ministry of External Affairs in order to accord political clearance. The programme proposed in such cases should be appropriate to the office held and the purpose of the visit," Jaiswal stated. He added, "In this particular case, that was not so with respect to the United States. Therefore, the clearance was denied."

While the US trip was blocked, the MEA confirmed that the government had granted clearance for Reddy’s visit to the United Kingdom, which he is currently attending.

Controversy Over Timing

According to the Telangana CMO, the state had followed all standard procedures and protocols while seeking permission for a dual-nation tour. The delegation reported that while the UK visit was approved, they were informed that permission for the US travel would not be granted only after the team had already arrived in London.

The CMO alleged that the decision was driven by political considerations. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the office noted, "Although the delegation led by the Chief Minister was scheduled to visit the UK and the USA, Revanth Reddy cancelled the US leg of the trip after the Centre informed the state that permission was being denied on political grounds."

The Chief Minister has since decided to return to Hyderabad from London, cancelling his planned engagements in the US.

The Itinerary

The cancelled portion of the visit included a high-profile itinerary, which was to begin on August 24. Reddy had planned to tour the campuses of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This was to be followed by a visit to the North-Eastern campus and a meeting with representatives from Virginia Tech University in Boston on August 25.

Additionally, the itinerary featured a ‘Meet and Greet’ event hosted by the Indian Overseas Congress (USA) in New York on August 26, before the delegation’s scheduled return to India on August 30.

The incident highlights a rare public friction between the state and central authorities regarding international protocol and the assessment of state-level diplomatic visits. Following the denial of political clearance, the diplomatic focus remains on the standard operating procedures required for Chief Ministers traveling abroad.