HYDERABAD: Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country slated for Monday, the chief minister-designate of truncated Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu arrived in Delhi on Saturday night while his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhara Rao will be in the national capital by Sunday evening to attend Modi’s coronation. Naidu’s Delhi visit is keeping his party’s newly elected MPs, who are aspiring to be Union ministers, on tenterhooks, as the TDP chief is keeping his cards close to his chest with regard to the number of berths the yellow party is being offered by Modi in the soon-to-be formed new Union Cabinet. Soon after he landed at the national capital, the TDP chief began a series of meetings with the BJP top leaders including party president Rajnath Singh, probably to decide his party’s share of ministerial berths in Modi’s council of ministers. According to sources, Naidu has already been informed that the yellow party would be given only a few berths in the Union Cabinet as Modi is particular that he should not have a jumbo cabinet. Sources said only two posts - one Cabinet minister post and one minister of state post - are being offered to the TDP. But, Naidu is said to be lobbying for one more MoS post with independent charge. ‘’Whatever be the final outcome, the TDP chief is not particular about the number of berths our party would get. He is more interested in getting more funds for the residuary AP for construction of a new capital,” former minister and Naidu’s senior colleague JR Pushpa Raj told Express. In fact, before leaving for Delhi on Saturday, the TDP chief told his partymen that he would not mind if the party was not offered good number of berths as he wants the Centre to be liberal in releasing funds for reconstruction of Seemandhra. Naidu is likely to confer with Modi late on Saturday night and recommend to him on who should be taken into the council of ministers from the TDP. As it was already reported in these columns, Naidu’s senior colleague and trusted lieutenant P Ashok Gajapati Raju is said to be in reckoning for becoming the Cabinet minister. Chandrasekhar Rao will also leave for Delhi on Sunday morning and is expected to host a dinner to his party’s newly-elected MPs and other leaders at his residence in Delhi on Sunday night.
Naidu Likely to Function from L Block
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh chief minister designate N Chandrababu Naidu is likely to work from L Block in the Secretariat. Though, the State government officials allotted H South Block for Naidu, he refused the same citing vastu reasons. On Saturday, the officials examined the L Block for the Chief Minister of AP. Principal secretary B Sam Bob (R and B), chief secretary-designate for AP IYR Krishna Rao and other officials visited the L Block and gave instructions to make necessary arrangements. Chamber for AP chief minister will be located in the eighth floor of the L Block. The proposal will be put before Naidu and inform him about the vastu changes proposed in the L Block. If Naidu okays it, then the officials will start work to provide furniture and other facilities for him in the eighth floor of L Block. ‘’Take all Vastu precautions,” a senior officials told the R & B staff. As par vastu, the official will construct a six-feet wall on the road opposite to Nalla Pochamma temple in the Secretariat. The wall will divide AP and T chief ministers blocks in the Secretariat. The Telangana chief minister will function form C Block.