Laxman, Kishan Reddy become PM’s guests

Names missing in State list included by PMO at the last minute

It was the Prime Minister’s Office which pulled no punches in ensuring that how the programmes were going to be organised, who would get invited and who would get the pride of place in the twin events — inauguration of Hyderabad Metro Rail and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 — which happened on Tuesday.

Inclusion of State BJP president K. Laxman and MLA G. Kishan Reddy throughout the whirlwind tour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as PM’s guests raised eyebrows. Till 11 am on Tuesday, both were supposed to only receive the Prime Minister along with the government dignitaries at the airport but a call from the PMO changed schedules.

The State government list was changed and names of several key officials from the Chief Minister’s Office were deleted or changed. Only Chief Secretary S. P. Singh was to travel on the inaugural metro run. Such was the confusion that even IT and Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao was for a while not allowed to come near the PM till intervention came from the highest quarters.

Sources, pleading anonymity, said the PMO specifically called for Mr. Laxman and Mr. Kishan Reddy to be in the PM’s entourage from Begumpet till his departure in the evening. They flew in one of the three helicopters used during the visit, thereby ensuring that they were part of the Hyderabad Metro Rail inauguration, for GES event at HICC and travelled in the PM’s convoy to join the dinner at Falaknuma Palace.

Initially, there was no hope among BJP leaders as they were unsure that even the interaction sought at the Begumpet airport would get cleared. At the last moment, it got cleared with a clear message that no memorandum with regard to sub-categorisation of SCs would be entertained and it would only be a public reception.

BJP leaders are now on the moon for being given importance during the PM’s programme and feel this was a sure sign of the high command giving importance to improving the party’s standing here, while there are red faces among the State government officials for being given a cold reception.