Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu is set to be sworn in today as the 18th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. This marks the fourth time Naidu will assume the role, and the second time since the state’s bifurcation in 2014. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 11:27 AM at the Kesarpalli IT Park in Gannavaram Mandal, on the outskirts of Vijayawada.
The event will witness the presence of top leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, and JP Nadda. Naidu, who led the TDP-BJP-Janasena National Democratic Alliance to a landslide victory in the recent Assembly and parliamentary elections, was unanimously elected as the leader of the alliance in the Andhra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Andhra Governor S. Abdul Nazeer extended an invitation to Naidu to form the government, which he accepted. The ceremony will also see the swearing-in of a 24-member Cabinet, with 21 ministers from the TDP, three from the Janasena Party, and one from the BJP. Notable TDP members taking the oath include Nara Lokesh, Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, and Nimmala Ramanaidu. Representing the Janasena Party will be Konidela Pawan Kalyan, Nadendla Manohar, and Kandula Durgesh, while Satya Kumar Yadav will be the sole representative from the BJP.
Heavy security arrangements have been made for the ceremony, reflecting its significance and the high-profile attendance. Naidu’s son and TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, personally received Amit Shah and JP Nadda at the Gannavaram airport yesterday evening.
Early visuals from the venue showed a massive gathering of supporters eager to witness Naidu’s return to office. The TDP holds a commanding majority in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly, with 135 MLAs, while allies Janasena Party and BJP have 21 and eight seats, respectively. The opposition YSR Congress Party holds 11 seats.
This swearing-in marks a significant moment in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape. Naidu first became Chief Minister in 1995, leading the state until 2004. He returned to power in the bifurcated state in 2014 and served until 2019, when the YSR Congress, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, won a decisive victory.
Addressing the legislators’ meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday, Naidu expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support from the people. He reaffirmed that Amaravati would remain the capital of Andhra Pradesh, with Vishakapatnam serving as the financial capital. “There will be no situation where we will be playing with states future saying three capitals , our capital is Amaravati and Amaravati will continue to be our capital. Vishakapatnam will be financial capital and will make it developed city,” Naidu declared.
Reflecting on the electoral victory, Naidu said, “This much victory and satisfaction I never had before. In Delhi, everyone respected us because of the mandate the people had given us. In 1994, there were one-sided elections. Even then, we did not win this many seats. We won 164 seats. We only lost 11 seats. That is, we won 93 per cent. The average voting percentage was 57 per cent in these elections. Our responsibility has increased,”
Naidu emphasized that his administration would prioritize the people’s interests, steering clear of vindictive politics. He assured that the government would operate with utmost responsibility and transparency, aiming to avoid any form of unrest. “In my four-decade-long political career, I have seen several elections but the just-concluded polls are history. And now the entire responsibility lies on all of us to rise up to the expectations of the people. I salute all the people of the state for the verdict that they have given,” Naidu said.
