Congress has taken the controversy over Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s proposed US visit to the national stage. AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticised the Centre, alleging that deliberately blocking the Chief Minister’s foreign trip was very wrong.
Kharge said Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have a large NRI community in the US, which can play an important role in bringing investments back to the two Telugu states. He highlighted the importance of maintaining strong connections with the diaspora.
According to Kharge, Chief Ministers regularly visit countries such as the US and UK to attract investments and industries to their respective states. Such visits, he said, can help create new business opportunities and generate employment.
Kharge stressed that investments brought through these efforts do not benefit just a particular Chief Minister or political party. New industries create jobs, strengthen the state economy and ultimately contribute to the growth of the country as well.
He also pointed out that political leaders may change after a few years, but the factories and investments established through such initiatives can remain for decades. In his words, a Chief Minister may be here today and gone tomorrow, but the investments can stay for 15 to 20 years or even 50 years.
With Kharge stepping into the issue, the denial of Revanth Reddy’s US visit has now turned into a larger political confrontation between Congress and the Centre. The party appears keen to frame the decision as an obstacle to Telangana’s investment and development prospects.