BJP blocks US leg, calls it “protocol”
UK cleared, US denied. Telangana’s CM was already in London when the BJP-led Centre pulled the plug on the American leg — for being “inappropriate to the office and purpose”, says the MEA. Telangana calls it political. The BJP swears it isn’t. Sure.
The UK leg was cleared; political clearance for the US leg was denied after the delegation reached London.
The BJP-led Centre cleared A. Revanth Reddy’s UK stop and then refused political clearance for his US leg after the Telangana delegation had already reached London. The Ministry of External Affairs’ on-record line: the proposed US programme was “not appropriate to the office held, and the purpose of the visit”, so clearance was denied; the UK visit was approved. According to the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office, the state was informed of the US refusal after arrival in the UK, and the CM cancelled the Boston leg and returned on August 23 while instructing officials to continue US engagements.
The CMO described the refusal as political. The MEA did not use that word; it offered the “appropriateness” test instead. The reported US itinerary named universities — Harvard, MIT, Northeastern and Virginia Tech — for education, skills and technology tie-ups. A later report, citing unnamed government sources, linked the denial to proposed meetings with US Vice-President JD Vance and New York politician Zohran Mamdani and said those were not routed through MEA; neither the MEA nor the CMO has publicly confirmed that as the reason. Another report quoted the CMO calling any Mamdani meeting “tentative”.
Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao insists there was “no political motive”, listing purpose, protocol and security, and adding that officials could still travel and pursue agreements — which neatly undercuts the idea that the programme itself was beyond the pale. The MEA’s own site explains political clearances in general; it does not publish a case-specific order here.
So we have this: UK yes, US no; “inappropriate” in place of an explanation; and a refusal communicated mid-tour. Telangana asked for a reason; the BJP-led Centre has chosen a shrug. The evasion is doing more talking than the spokesperson.