Hyderabad: In a major disappointment for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the Centre has rejected his request to permit him to leave for Singapore to pay tributes to the mortal remains of the country's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who died three days ago.

The Ministry of External Affairs told him bluntly that it can't allow him to go to Singapore to pay tributes to Lee as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading an official delegation for the purpose.

As a rule, all chief ministers, ministers and top bureaucrats must take permission from the Ministry of External Affairs before undertaking foreign jaunts. Without obtaining the political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs, they can not visit abroad.

After the Centre has rejected his request to go on his own to Singapore to pay tributes to Lee, Chandrababu has asked the Centre to include him in the official delegation being led by Narendra Modi.

The Centre is yet to accede the fresh request made by Chandrababu.