Congress MP from Nandyal S.P.Y. Reddy told a Telugu television channel that he was yet to receive any information about the chief minister's whereabouts.

'Police have launched search operations,' he said from Kurnool.

Two helicopters took off from Hyderabad to join the search operations. The army's help has been sought to locate the chopper.

The chopper lost contact with Air Traffic Control due to bad weather around 10.30 a.m. when it was on its way from Hyderabad to Chittoor where the chief minister was to attend a programme.

A high-level meeting is on at the state secretariat here.

Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy reviewed the situation with Chief Secretary Ramakant Reddy, Director General of Police S.S.P. Yadav, the chief minister's close aide and Rajya Sabha MP K.V.P. Ramchandra Rao and senior state ministers.