Chandrababu Naidu to be sworn in as Andhra Pradesh CM today; PM Modi to be present

PTI, Jun 12, 2024, 8:09 AM IST

Chandrababu Naidu (Credit: PTI / File)

Amaravati: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is set to be sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday for a fourth term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J P Nadda as well as several other leaders are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Shah arrived at the Gannavaram Airport along with Nadda. He was received by Naidu’s son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh, among others.

Later, Shah and others proceeded to Naidu’s residence at Undavalli.

“Met the Chief Minister-designate of Andhra Pradesh, Shri @ncbn Garu in Vijayawada and congratulated him on the NDA’s massive victory. Looking forward to attending the oath-taking ceremony tomorrow,” Shah posted on X.

Governor S Abdul Nazeer on Tuesday invited Naidu to form the government. Later in the evening, Naidu met Nazeer at Raj Bhavan here.

The TDP chief is scheduled to take oath at 11.27 am near Medha IT Park opposite Gannavaram Airport in Kesarapalli on the outskirts of Vijayawada.

Earlier during the day in separate meetings, the Telugu Desam Legislature Party and NDA partners elected Naidu as their leader.

Addressing the legislators, Naidu asserted that he is committed to developing Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh.

“With all your cooperation, I am taking oath tomorrow (as the CM) and I would like to thank you all for that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming for the swearing-in ceremony,” Naidu said.

Naidu said he has asked for the central government’s cooperation for the state and said it was “assured” to him.

After the meetings, leaders of the NDA, comprising TDP, BJP and Janasena, met the Governor and staked their claim to form the government.

Along with Naidu, other leaders likely to take oath include Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and its senior leader N Manohar, Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and TDP Andhra Pradesh leader Atchannaidu.

According to NDA sources, Pawan Kalyan has been offered the deputy CM post.

NDA partners Janasena and BJP are likely to get five to six berths in the cabinet. As per the strength of the Andhra Pradesh assembly (175), the cabinet can have 26 ministers including the CM.

Reviewing the arrangements for the ceremony, Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad said the prime minister is expected to leave from Delhi for Gannavaram Airport at 8.20 am and arrive by 10.40 am on Wednesday.

According to the tentative schedule, he said Modi is expected to reach the venue by 10.55 am to participate in the swearing-in ceremony from 11 am to 12.30 pm.

Thereafter, the PM is expected to return to the airport at 12.40 pm and take off for Bhubaneswar at 12.45 pm.

According to TDP sources, invitations have been extended to farmers who gave their land for the construction of the Amaravati capital project and also some people who were allegedly harassed during the previous YSR Congress regime.

Naidu first became the chief minister in 1995 and went on to have another two terms.

His first two terms as chief minister were at the helm of united Andhra Pradesh, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2004, while the third term came post-bifurcation of the state.

In 2014, Naidu emerged as the first chief minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh and served it until 2019. He lost the 2019 polls and was the opposition leader until 2024.

Following a landslide victory in the 2024 elections, he is returning as the CM for a fourth term, ousting the YSRCP.

The NDA won a landslide victory in the recently concluded simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state, winning 164 of the 175 assembly seats and 21 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats.

Meanwhile, there is no clarity on whether outgoing CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was invited to the swearing-in ceremony.

YSRCP did not respond to queries on the matter.