President Pratibha Patil who was to visit Hyderabad on Monday has deferred her visit citing official engagement in Delhi.
Rashtrapati Bhawan officials said the President would like to remain in Delhi at the time when the government formation in Jharkhand was in a crucial stage when the President’s rule would have to revoked.
On the eve of the new year, the President visits Rashtrapati Nilayam (President’s House) — one of the three official retreats of the President of India — in Bollarum, a suburb on the outskirts of Secunderabad.
While the Rashtrapati Bhawan officials took this as their official stand, it is learnt that the decision was taken in view of the on-going agitation in Hyderabad over the demand of a separate Telangana state.
Meanwhile the President on Sunday accepted the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Governor N.D. Tiwari and asked the Chattisgarh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to discharge the duties till further arrangements are made.
Tiwari had tendered his resignation to the President on Saturday after a sting operation purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women.