MEA Blocks Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s US Visit

Reddy, who is in London leading a delegation, will return to Hyderabad on Sunday, cutting short his two-nation visit. His office said the external affairs ministry cleared the UK leg but refused permission for the US portion, citing a lack of clearance "from a political angle."

The planned US itinerary included meetings with foreign political figures JD Vance and Zohran Mamdani, as well as visits to Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, and Virginia Tech. Reddy had aimed to attract these institutions to Telangana and sign Memoranda of Understanding and partnership agreements.

Despite the denial, Reddy directed his delegation to proceed with the US programme and conclude the planned agreements. He emphasized that the Telangana Rising initiative would continue focusing on economic and human resource development, saying, "I have always believed we should all think beyond politics and elections when it comes to nation-building and the future of the youth."

The denial is part of a pattern. In 2019, the MEA refused clearance for then-Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to visit Denmark, and in 2024, it denied permission for Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to attend the Paris Olympics. In 2018, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the central government for refusing clearances to state ministers to travel abroad for flood relief fundraising.

Reddy will continue his UK engagements over the next two days, including visits to Oxford, Cambridge, the London School of Economics, London Business School, and the University of London. He also plans to meet representatives of sports institutions and skills development organizations. The state government intends to pursue collaborations with premier universities despite Reddy's absence, with a broader goal of transforming Hyderabad into a global knowledge and education hub.