Chandrababu Naidu to skip Jagan Reddy’s swearing-in

Amaravati, May 29 (IANS) Outgoing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will not attend the swearing-in of his successor Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday and will instead send a delegation of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to call on the YSR Congress Party chief and congratulate him.

A meeting of TDP's newly-elected MLAs presided over by party chief Naidu decided to depute the delegation to Reddy's residence to congratulate him before his swearing-in.

The TDP delegation comprising party leaders Atchan Naidu, P. Keshav and G. Srinivasa Rao will meet the YSRCP chief and also hand over a letter from Naidu congratulating him on assuming the office of chief minister.

Jagan, as the young leader is popularly known, is set to take oath as chief minister on Thursday at a ceremony to be held in Vijayawada.

Though Jagan had personally telephoned the TDP chief to invite him to the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, a majority of the TDP leaders advised Naidu to stay away. During the party meeting on Wednesday, senior leaders said since Jagan was taking oath at a public event, Naidu should skip it.

According to TDP sources, the leaders felt that it would have been fine to attend the swearing-in at Raj Bhavan but since it is taking place at a public venue, it would not be appropriate to participate in it.

They suggested that a delegation of party leaders be sent to meet Jagan and congratulate him. The TDP chief accepted the suggestion.

The YSRCP stormed to power with a landslide victory, winning 151 seats in 175-member Assembly.