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.
--IANS ms/kr