Naidu to be sworn in as AP Chief Minister today

Vijayawada: After leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to a spectacular majority in the recently held elections, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh at Kesapalli IT Park near Gannavaram Airport at 11.27 am on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled States, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other VVIPs will attend. Naidu has returned to power after a gap of five years. His name was proposed by Jana Sena Party president and film actor Pawan Kalyan and seconded by BJP State president Daggubati Purandeswari and her counterpart in TDP K Atchan Naidu.

After his unanimous reelection Naidu along with Pawan, Purandeswari and others drove to the Raj Bhavan and submitted the letter signed by the NDA Legislature Party to Governor S Abdul Nazeer. Later the Governor formally invited Naidu to form the government. This will be the second stint for Naidu as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation.

Addressing a meeting of the NDA’s newly elected legislators, Naidu stated that his government will focus on the all-round development of Andhra Pradesh, promising to develop Visakhapatnam as a financial capital and an international city with world-class facilities. “We will not pursue vendetta politics like the demolition of Praja Vedika,” he remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, Purandeswari said they would work hard to put Andhra Pradesh back on track. Pawan said the public voted overwhelmingly in support of the NDA to usher in a good era. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the swearing ceremony.

TDP and its alliance partners BJP and JSP stormed to power by bagging 164 seats viz. 135 by BJP, 21 by JSP and eight by TDP in the 175-member assembly. Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats, TDP won 16 becoming the NDA ally with largest members after the BJP. While JSP posted victory in two Lok Sabha constituencies, BJP won three. JSP had 100 per cent strike rate in winning.