Chandrababu Naidu to take oath as Andhra CM for fourth time with PM Modi, Rajinikanth and Tollywood royalty in attendance

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is set to be sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday for his fourth term. The ceremony is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, along with several other leaders.

Along with Naidu, other leaders are likely to swear-in, and they could include Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and its senior leader N Manohar, Naidu's son Nara Lokesh and TDP Andhra Pradesh leader Atchannaidu.

Naidu is scheduled to take oath at 11.27 am near Medha IT Park opposite Gannavaram Airport in Kesarapalli on the outskirts of Vijayawada.

Pawan Kalyan has been offered the deputy CM post. NDA partners Janasena and BJP are likely to get five to six berths in the cabinet. As per the strength of the Andhra Pradesh assembly (175), the cabinet can have 26 ministers including the CM.

Star-studded swearing-in

Veteran actor Rajinikanth also arrived in Vijayawada on Tuesday evening, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Andhra Pradesh CM-designate N Chandrababu Naidu. In the visuals captured by the media, Rajinikanth could be seen accompanied by his wife Latha Rajinikanth.

Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, Mohan Babu and other Tollywood actors are also expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Earlier on Tuesday in separate meetings, the Telugu Desam Legislature Party and NDA partners elected Naidu as their leader. Addressing the legislators, Naidu asserted that he is committed to developing Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. "With all your cooperation, I am swearing in tomorrow (as the CM) and I would like to thank you all for that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming for the swearing-in ceremony," Naidu said.

Announcing that he is swearing-in as the CM for the fourth time, Naidu said he asked for the Central Government's cooperation for the state and said it was "assured" to him. After the meetings, leaders of the NDA, comprising TDP, BJP and Janasena, met the Governor and staked their claim to form the government.

PM Modi to attend the oath-taking ceremony

Reviewing the arrangements for the ceremony, Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad said the prime minister is expected to leave from Delhi for Gannavaram Airport at 8.20 am and arrive by 10.40 am on Wednesday.

According to the tentative schedule, he said Modi is expected to reach the venue by 10.55 am to participate in the swearing-in ceremony from 11 am to 12.30 pm.

Thereafter, the PM is expected to return to the airport at 12.40 pm and take off for Bhubaneswar at 12.45 pm. According to TDP sources, invitations have been extended to farmers who gave their land for the construction of Amaravati capital project and also some people who were allegedly harassed during the previous YSR Congress regime.

Chandrababu Naidu: New Andhra CM

N. Chandrababu Naidu first assumed the role of chief minister in 1995, leading the united Andhra Pradesh until 2004 for nine consecutive years. He then returned to power as the chief minister of the newly bifurcated Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and served until 2019.

After losing the 2019 elections, Naidu became the opposition leader. Now, following a significant victory in the 2024 elections, he is set to begin his fourth term as chief minister. The NDA secured a decisive win, capturing 164 out of 175 assembly seats and 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the simultaneous elections.

With inputs from PTI