KCR welcomes President Murmu on her arrival in Hyderabad

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, on Monday, extended a warm welcome to President Draupadi Murmu at Hakimpet Air Force station as she arrived in the state for the customary Southern sojourn. This was her first visit to the state after being elected.

Earlier in the day, Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and social welfare minister Sathyavathi Rathod had greeted the President when she arrived at Shamshabad Airport and promptly left for Srisailam in Andhra. She was accompanied by the governor.

Later, the President arrived at the Hakimpet Air Force station where the chief minister greeted her and introduced her to the other ministers, MPs, MLAs and officials. The president will be staying at the Rashtrapati Nilayam, the President’s retreat for the next five days. Every year the President’s visits Hyderabad for the Southern sojourn.

Since TRS, Congress and AIMIM had all supported her rival Yashawant Sinha she had skipped visiting the state even for election campaigns and the three BJP MLAs had visited her in Goa. Rao has been criticised in the past for skipping protocol and not greeting the Prime Minister during his visit to the state; however the BRS maintained that Mr Narendra Modi was on a private visit and hence there was no need for the chief minister to be present.