Telangana CM Revanth Reddy returns to Hyderabad, likely to address controversy over denied US visit

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy returned to Hyderabad on Monday (August 24, 2026) morning, cutting short his overseas visit, originally scheduled to cover London, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Mr. Reddy spent three days in London but could not proceed to the United States after the Centre denied permission for the second leg of his tour. The Chief Minister and the Congress party have attributed the decision to political considerations.

Soon after landing in Hyderabad, Mr. Reddy got down to official work and convened a meeting with all government Secretaries.

CM Revanth likely to address US visit controversy

Mr. Reddy is expected to speak on the controversy surrounding the denial of permission for his US visit, either on Monday or Tuesday. The Chief Minister is likely to question the Centre’s decision and maintain that his proposed U.S. tour was focused on engaging with leading educational institutions and attracting them to establish partnerships in Telangana.

Mr. Reddy had earlier thanked All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge for his support on the issue. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had also publicly backed the Chief Minister and criticised the Centre’s decision to deny permission for the U.S. leg of his tour

Political controversy

Meanwhile, several Congress leaders, including Ministers, MLAs and MLCs, are also expected to meet the Chief Minister and press for disciplinary action against Endowments Minister Konda Surekha. She has been at the centre of a controversy following remarks made by her daughter, Konda Susmitha, against the Chief Minister at an event in Warangal. The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) subsequently issued a show cause notice to Ms. Surekha, seeking her explanation.

In her response, Ms. Surekha urged the party to withdraw the notice, arguing that she should not be held responsible for the actions of her daughter. However, she did not condemn her daughter’s remarks against the Chief Minister.

The issue escalated while Mr. Reddy was in the UK, with more than 20 Congress MLAs and MLCs holding a press conference in Hyderabad to demand action against Ms Surekha. SC Welfare Minister Adluri Lakshman went a step further and sought her removal from the Cabinet.

Konda Surekha meets AICC president

A day before the Chief Minister’s return, Ms. Surekha reportedly met All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge. Details of the meeting, however, were not made public.

Silence of senior Ministers

The controversy has also highlighted the unusual silence of several senior Ministers, who have refrained from publicly commenting on the episode. Instead, it was largely younger legislators, including first-time MLAs, who rallied behind the Chief Minister and spoke out against Ms. Surekha. The TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud made it clear that those crossing the limits would not be spared irrespective of their position, sending a strong warning to leaders targeting the government.