Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy recently departed on a visit to the United Kingdom and the United States. The state government stated that the tour was aimed at securing investments, forging educational institution partnerships, and bringing international-level educational opportunities to Telangana as part of the “Telangana Rising” initiative. While the Centre granted clearance for the UK leg of the visit, it declined to give political clearance for the US visit. As a result, the Chief Minister has had to return to Hyderabad directly from London, and is expected to arrive in Hyderabad on August 23.
Against this backdrop, the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has offered an explanation. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ministry reviews the foreign travel plans of chief ministers and other dignitaries before granting political clearance, and that the programmes proposed during such visits must be commensurate with the CM’s office and the stated purpose of the tour. He stated that the proposed itinerary for Revanth’s US visit did not meet these standards, which is why clearance was denied. Revanth Reddy, for his part, expressed surprise at the decision, saying that matters concerning the future of the youth, the state’s development, and nation-building ought to be viewed as being above politics and elections. He has instructed officials that his team should continue with the planned engagements in the US. Accordingly, a Telangana delegation will travel to the US without him to proceed with certain proposed agreements and partnerships.
Similar Episodes Involving Other Chief Ministers
– Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee previously also failed to secure central government clearance for a foreign visit. In 2021, she had planned to attend the World Peace Conference held in Rome; however, the MEA denied permission, stating that the event was not commensurate with the stature of a chief minister. This drew a strong reaction from the TMC. Reports also indicate that Mamata was earlier denied clearance for a visit to Chicago.
– Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal faced a similar experience. In 2019, when he sought permission to attend the C40 Climate Summit in Denmark, reports at the time indicated that the MEA objected, noting that the event was intended for city mayors and was not suited to the level of a chief minister. He was also denied clearance for a visit to Singapore in 2022.
– Similar developments occurred in the case of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. In February 2026, he had planned to visit the UK and Israel along with a delegation that included the state’s industries minister, with the stated aim of attracting investment; however, the MEA denied political clearance for the visit. His attempt to travel to the 2024 Paris Olympics to cheer on the Indian hockey team was also denied permission. However, he was granted clearance for visits to Japan and South Korea in 2025.
– Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also on this list. In 2025, he did not receive political clearance for a visit to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman. Earlier, in 2023, a similar clearance issue arose over a planned engagement in Saudi Arabia.
– This is also not a purely recent phenomenon. Even during the UPA era, there were instances where political clearance was denied — for then-Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s visit to the United States, and for Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s visit to Thailand.
What Exactly Is Political Clearance?
When chief ministers, ministers, and other public representatives travel abroad in an official capacity, they are required to inform the central government in advance. The Ministry of External Affairs examines the purpose of the visit, the nature of the planned engagements, the destination country, and related factors before granting political clearance. Without this clearance, undertaking an official foreign visit is not possible. In Revanth’s case, however, the notable question is why clearance was granted for the UK but denied for the US. The reason the MEA has clearly cited is that the proposed programme for the US leg was not commensurate with the CM’s office or the stated purpose of the visit. The state government describes Revanth’s tour as an initiative undertaken for investment, education, skill development, and international partnerships. The Centre, however, is citing protocol and political clearance norms as the basis for its decision.
Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy had already obtained court permission for this tour. The ACB court had relaxed the conditions relating to foreign travel in the cash-for-vote case. However, the court made clear that this permission would remain subject to the political clearance required from the Centre. As a result, this episode has now sparked a broader debate — not just over the cancellation of Revanth’s US tour, but also over the very system governing official foreign visits by chief ministers in relation to the Centre.