As part of his regular annual sojourn in Hyderabad, President Pranab Mukherjee today landed on the campus of Hakimpet Air Force Station here in a special IAF flight.
The country’s first citizen was given a rousing reception by Governor ESL Narsimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, ministers, leaders and officials at Hakimpet Airport near Secunderabad on Monday afternoon.
In a rare fete of sorts, KCR, sporting his famous white pants and shirt, sprang a surprise again by touching the feet of Pranab Mukherjee after welcoming him with a ‘pink bouquet. Even after getting a pat from the President, KCR was seen in folded hands for a few moments, while the Governor, who tonsured his head, was cynosure sporting black outfit on the occasion.
Curiously, AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu abstained from receiving the President for the first time after bifurcation of the State. Pranab Mukherjee, then moved swiftly to Rashtrapathi Nilayama that was decked up for the occasion even as security has been beefed up and cordoned off under tight vigil at Bollaram in Secunderabad.
Telangana Council Chairman K. Swamy Goud, Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudana Chary, Deputy Speaker Padma.Devender Reddy, Deputy Chairman Nethi Vidyasagar, Deputy Chief Ministers Kadiam Srihari and Mohd. Mahbub Ali, Telangana cabinet ministers N. Narasimha Reddy, Padma Rao, P. Srinivasa Reddy, Harish Rao, K.T. Rama Rao, MPs Kavitha, K. Visheswar Reddy, B. Suman and Telangana Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma, DGP Anurag Sharma and other senior officials along with top officers of the Armed Forces were present at the reception. (NSS)