Known for kicking up controversies with his surprising decisions, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao cancelled his scheduled visit Medaram tribal hamlet to take part in the tribal fair of Sammkka Saralamma jatara at the eleventh hour on Friday.
The chief minister kept everybody in waiting – several MLAs, ministers including panchayat raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivasa Yadav and tribal welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod and district officials.
A helipad was kept ready for his arrival and a rope party of the police officials was ready to receive the chief minister.
Though KCR was expected to come at 2 pm, there was no information from the CMO till 4 pm. At around 5 pm, they received information about the cancellation of his programme.
Naturally, it kicked up a big political row, as the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party lost no time in capitalising on it.
State BJP president Bandi Sanjay, who attended the tribal festival in the morning, found fault with KCR for cancelling his visit at the last moment.
“It clearly shows how much interest KCR has towards festivals of the poor people and tribals. He insulted the tribal community and Telangana culture by skipping the festival. It only shows his arrogance. With the spirit of Sammakka and Saralamma, we shall fight with renewed vigour to pull him down from the throne,” he said.
Several other senior BJP leaders including Union minister for tourism G Kishan Reddy visited Medaram to worship the tribal deities.
