Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate N. Chandrababu Naidu performed a special pooja at his residence in the posh Jubilee Hills area here on Sunday morning before leaving for NTR Ghat, en route to Vijayawada hours before his swearing-in.
Priests performed ‘harathi’ as he boarded his bullet-proof SUV and drove to NTR Ghat at 11.54 a.m. He hardly met any visitors before he left for the swearing-in, except a few legislators - Errabelli Dayakar Rao and A. Narsa Reddy.
Media persons, including photographers and TV camera crew, were stopped at a barricade, 300 yards away from his residence. After reaching NTR Ghat, Mr. Naidu paid floral tributes to TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao and spent a minute there with folded hands before he went around the memorial.
Later, Mr. Naidu, wearing a broad smile, shook hands with dozens of photographers and correspondents who had gathered at the spot. However, he politely declined to speak to the media, before leaving for Begumpet airport to catch a special flight to Gannavaram.
Meanwhile, MLC and TDP floor leader in the Telangana Legislative Council A. Narsa Reddy said that when he tried to discuss the naming of the deputy floor leader with Mr. Naidu, the latter reportedly told him that the matter could be discussed on Monday.
Mr. Naidu boarded a special flight from Begumpet airport around 12.20 p.m. and reached Gannavaram airport around 1.20 p.m. from where he proceeded to Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) at 1.50 p.m. He reached the venue at 6.50 p.m.
