Telangana CM has cleverly avoided meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Southern Zonal council meeting that would be held on Sunday at Tirupati. KCR, who does not want any confrontation with the Centre, but at the same time wanted to put up a show of defiance, has reportedly decided not to attend the meeting. Instead, Minister Mahmood Ali and some high-ranking officials would attend the meet.
The meeting is happening barely two days after the TRS held a state-wide dharnas on the issue of paddy procurement. Naturally, if KCR comes back from the meeting without raising the issue of paddy procurement, his utterances will be seen as an empty talk. He also knows that he cannot raise the issue at the SZC. If he is clicked enjoying banter with Amit Shah or offer a bouquet, it would send wrong signals. So, he has cleverly decided not to go to the meeting.
The SZC is aimed at discussing the problems of the states and union territories of South India. The CMs of all the states except Telagnana and the lieutenant governors of the union territories would attend the meeting. This would be a good opportunity to raise the issues pertaining to the State. But, KCR has decided not to use this opportunity.
However the pro-TRS media is trying to project this as a tit-for-tat to the Centre. They are trying to project this as a protest against the Central Government on the issue of paddy procurement. But observers say KCR is losing a key opportunity to fight for the interests of the state.