Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao dismissed the allegations that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had denied clearance for Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s proposed visit to the United States for “political reasons”, asserting that the decision was more likely linked to “procedural requirements and regulatory norms”.Addressing the media at the State party office on Friday, he said that the MEA follows a comprehensive evaluation process before approving foreign visits by Chief Ministers and Ministers, such as the official necessity of the visit, the credentials of the host organisations, the profile of participants, diplomatic protocols, security considerations, Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) compliance and broader international implications, before a decision is taken.Mr. Rao pointed out that the Centre had not placed any hurdles in the way of Mr. Revanth Reddy’s earlier overseas visits. He also noted that permissions had reportedly been granted to officials accompanying the Chief Minister to participate in meetings relating to investments and agreements, indicating that the Centre was not opposed to official engagements abroad.He also recalled that during the Congress-led UPA regime, foreign visits proposed by then Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and then Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda were not approved. He also referred to the period when Narendra Modi, then Gujarat Chief Minister, was denied a US visa.Why only CM?Meanwhile, BJP MP from Nizamabad D. Aravind questioned why the Chief Minister alone had been denied permission for the US visit and suggested that the issue could involve matters relating to “national security”, though he clarified that the Centre is yet to give official reasons for the move.The MP also raised questions about the nature and sponsorship of the proposed visit, speculating whether organisations linked to the programme had prompted concerns among authorities as there could be “anti-national forces” or American philanthropist and investor George Soros behind it.“How can a Chief Minister plan a foreign visit without obtaining the necessary statutory clearances?” he asked. Maintaining that the BJP was not attempting to politicise the issue, Mr. Aravind questioned if the CM had gone to UK to attend the marriage of Majlis Party leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s daughter. Published - August 21, 2026 07:49 pm IST