Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu did not attend the inaugural of the 6th Indian Youth Science Congress disappointing scores of students and agricultural scientists at the Acharya Nagarjuna University here on Monday.
According to students, Mr. Naidu has been conscientiously avoiding stepping in the University ever since he took over in June, 2014. He had not entered the university on June 8 though the swearing in ceremony was held right opposite the university. The Teachers Day celebrations scheduled to be held on ANU campus on September 5, 2014, were shifted at the last minute to Guntur and the Chief Minister also dropped the idea of holding the winter sessions of Andhra Pradesh Assembly in third week of December, though Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao showed much interest.
Mr. Naidu who is also the chief guest of the inaugural function and was scheduled to address the gathering did not turn up at the meeting. The organisers spent tense moments as the Chief Minister did not turn up at 10 a.m. the scheduled start of the programme. After waiting for 15 minutes, the guests were called to the dais.
Founder Chairman of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and renowned agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan too could not hide his disappointment and during his address.
Minister for Agriculture Prathipati Pulla Rao who had to do salvage the situation, said that Mr. Naidu was tired after a marathon walkathon in West Godavari district. “It is ironical that the Chief Minister, who is vocal about IT and smart governance, has chosen to stay away from Youth Science Congress citing vasthu related issues,” SFI leader Nageswara Rao said.
