Revanth Reddy not first CM to be denied MEA nod for foreign visit

In a surprising revelation, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy joins a list of opposition leaders denied political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for official foreign trips. While Reddy is the first CM to be denied clearance both post-statehood and within the united Andhra Pradesh government, he is not the only one on this exclusive list.

The Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann faced a similar fate in February 2026, when he and a 25-member delegation were denied MEA nod to visit the UK and Israel for investment purposes. He had previously been rejected for a planned visit to the Paris Olympics in 2024 to support the Indian hockey team, although the Punjab CM was eventually permitted to travel to Japan and South Korea in December 2025.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee, the former West Bengal Chief Minister, was denied clearance in September 2021 to attend a World Peace Conference in Rome, citing the event's lack of significance compared to the status of a Chief Minister. Banerjee had also previously been denied permission for visits to Chicago in 2018 and China in 2017, though the MEA denied receiving any requests for those trips.

Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP chief during his tenure as Delhi CM, faced denials in October 2019 for a visit to Denmark and in November 2018 for a trip to Singapore, both citing the MEA's statement that the events were meant for mayors, not CMs. Kejriwal's deputy, Manish Sisodia, was denied permission to visit Austria in November 2018, while Satyaneder Jain was denied a Russia trip to which he had previously been denied clearance.

The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was denied clearance in November 2025 for a visit to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, marking his second denial for Gulf country visits. This was the second such denial for Vijayan, who was previously denied a 2023 meeting in Saudi Arabia.

Under the UPA rule, Congress leader and Assam CM Tarun Gogoi was denied clearance in April 2012 for a planned trip to the US for a high-level meeting, as was Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda's request to visit Thailand. The MEA grants political clearance to public servants and government servants for foreign trips, considering various factors such as the nature of the event, the invitation, the visiting country's relations with India, and more.