A political controversy has erupted after a road near the US Consulate in Hyderabad was renamed as "Donald Trump Avenue". The move has drawn criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress of taking a contradictory stand on US President Donald Trump.

The ceremonial plaque for "Donald Trump Avenue" was unveiled on Tuesday as part of the "Freedom 250" celebrations, which mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence. The road adjoining the US Consulate in Hyderabad was given the special designation during an event attended by several senior leaders and diplomats.

The plaque was jointly unveiled by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, US Consul General Laura Williams, diplomats, government officials and industry representatives were also present at the ceremony.

According to officials, the road naming is a tribute to the United States and reflects Hyderabad's growing importance in strengthening ties between India and the US. The Telangana government said the initiative highlights the city's role in supporting cooperation between the two countries across different sectors.

Expressing gratitude to the Telangana government, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said the gesture reflected the strong partnership promoted by President Donald Trump. He said, "We are deeply grateful to the Government of Telangana for the generous tribute of naming Donald Trump Avenue, a gesture that reflects the kind of strong, respectful partnership President Trump has championed for America."

Gor also spoke about Hyderabad's increasing significance in India-US relations. He noted that the city has emerged as an important centre for collaboration in areas such as aerospace, defence and technology.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka highlighted Hyderabad's connection with the United States and its growing global role. He said, "As the United States marks Freedom 250, Hyderabad is proud to stand as one of India's strongest bridges to America."

Soon after the road renaming became public, BJP leaders criticised the Congress and questioned the Congress-led state government’s decision to honour Donald Trump. The party pointed to earlier statements made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has often criticised Trump and certain US policies.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to the social media platform X to attack the Congress over the issue. Referring to Rahul Gandhi's comments on Trump, Poonawalla questioned why the Telangana government would choose to honour the US President in such a manner.

In his post, he wrote, "Rahul Ki Hypocrisy Pro Max. Rahul Gandhi says President TRUMP hurting Indian Interests. Then why is his government in Telangana giving the ultimate tribute to him by renaming a road after him?"

Poonawalla also targeted Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He suggested that the chief minister was not following Rahul Gandhi's political line and pointed to earlier disagreements involving the Adani Group.

He said, "So, Revanth Reddy basically doesn't take Rahul Baba seriously? He did the same when Rahul was chanting Adani Adani... He went and did an MoU with Adani group."

The BJP used the road renaming issue to highlight what it described as inconsistency within the Congress. Party leaders argued that while Rahul Gandhi has publicly criticised Trump and the US administration on several occasions, a Congress government in Telangana has now chosen to honour him through the naming of a road.

The criticism also brought attention to Rahul Gandhi's earlier remarks regarding the India-US trade agreement. Earlier this year, the Congress leader had accused the Narendra Modi government of compromising India's interests during negotiations with the Trump administration.

Gandhi had alleged that the Centre had made excessive concessions in the trade deal. He had also called for the United States to engage with India on equal terms. In addition, he claimed that the government had failed to protect India's economic interests during the negotiations.

The renaming of the road has therefore become more than a ceremonial gesture. While the Telangana government has presented it as a symbol of growing India-US cooperation and Hyderabad's international importance, the BJP has turned the move into a political issue by linking it to Rahul Gandhi's previous criticism of Donald Trump and US policies.

With both parties presenting opposing narratives, the naming of "Donald Trump Avenue" has added a fresh political dimension to discussions surrounding India-US relations and the Congress party's stance on the US President.