TDP members request ESL Narasimhan to invite Chandrababu Naidu to form govt

HYDERABAD: A delegation of Telugu Desam Party legislators met Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan here today and handed over a letter informing him about the election of N Chandrababu Naidu as the leader of Telugu Desam Legislature Party.

The TDP Legislature Party met in temple-town Tirupati late last night and unanimously elected Chandrababu as its leader.

Senior legislators Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, K E Krishna Murthy, Mandali Buddha Prasad, Dhulipalla Narendra and others met the Governor this afternoon and informed him about the unanimous election.

"We requested the Governor to invite Chandrababu Naidu to form the government of (new) Andhra Pradesh," Yanamala later told reporters.

The Governor sought details about the swearing-in, like place and time, which the TDP delegation provided.

The Governor is expected to invite Chandrababu this evening and hand-over a letter formally appointing the latter as the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

A "muhurtam" has been set at 7.27 PM on June 8 for Chandrababu's swearing-in.

Keeping with his promise to people, Chandrababu will take oath at a public function at Nagarjuna Nagar between Vijayawada and Guntur.

Elaborate arrangements are being made for the swearing-in ceremony as a crowd of over five lakh people is expected for the event.

Besides, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of various states are expected to attend the ceremony.

The TDP won 102 seats in the 175-member AP Assembly. While an independent, who was actually a rebel candidate of the TDP, returned to the party upon his election from Pithapuram, another candidate, who won the election on behalf of an unknown 'Navodayam Party', also announced that he would be an "associate" member of the TDP in the Assembly.

The TDP is, however, yet to take a final call in his case as there is strong opposition within the party.