In a clear reflection of his unhappiness over the alliance of the JD(S) with the Congress in Karnataka, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to stay away from the oath-taking ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Kumaraswamy is scheduled to take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on Wednesday However as a mark of respect for the former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda KCR was leaving for Bengaluru this evening to personally greet Kumaraswamy.

He will leave by a special flight and after meeting Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda will return tonight itself.

An official press release said that he was returning tonight in view of important engagements in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Both Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy had called KCR to personally invite to the ceremony.

The event had assumed significance as along with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi many Chief Ministers including Mamata Banerjee Arvind Kejriwal and N Chandrababu Naidu and regional satraps including Akhilesh Yadav, Tejiswi Yadav and Mayawati were expected to turn up in a show of opposition unity.

KCR took the decision to stay away from the ceremony as he was not comfortable sharing the dais with the Congress leadership, TRS sources said.

KCR decides to stay away from HDK’s swearing-in