The ongoing tussle between the neighbouring States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has not left the visit of the President of India to Hyderabad untouched.
The happenings of the last one month between the two States cast their shadow over the dinner hosted by State Governor ESl Narasimhan last evening in the honour of President Pranab Mukherjee as Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao stayed away from the event.
The event was being keenly watched as it was expected to bring the dueling Chief Ministers KCR and N Chandrababu Naidu face to face after a long and it was hoped that Governor Narasimhan will take the opportunity to reduce the level of tension between the two.
Though KCR sent his regrets on the health grounds as he was running a fever, political circles were agog with talk that he may have stayed away due to the presence of bête noire AP Chief Minister Naidu.
Earlier Naidu had stayed away from the formal reception of the President on his arrival in Hyderabad on Monday. He later called on the President on Tuesday at Rashtrapati Nilayam.
At the Raj Bhavan dinner, Telangana was represented by the deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari. Other prominent figures including Speaker Madhusudhan Chary were also present. Meanwhile, the President Mukherjee on Wednesday undertook a hectic tour of the temple town of Tirupati by visiting as many as four famous temples in and around Tirumala. Accompanied by AP Chief Minister Naidu and the Governor ES Narasimhan, the President first visited Sri Padmavathi temple at Trichnur and then Sri Kaplieshwara temple, a cave temple dedicated to lord Siva. later, he visited the lord Venkateshwara temple atop Tirumala Hills and Srilakshmi Varahasawamy temple.
Elaborate security arrangements were made in view of the President’s visit. Triumala Tirupati Devsthanam had closed the temple for the other pilgrims from 12 noon till his return from the temple.
In a minor mishap a vehicle in President’s convoy hit a divider at Alipiri while going up the hills to Tirumala. The police removed the damaged vehicle to make way for the other vehicles in the convoy.