VIJAYAWADA: The newly-appointed ministers made a beeline to Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri here seeking blessings of the presiding deity Kanaka Durga after taking oath as ministers at the secretariat in Velagapudi on Monday.
Minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana, Minister for Energy, Forest, Science and Technology and Mines Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Finance and Skill Development Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Excise Minister K Narayana Swamy, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Buddi Mutyala Naidu, Civil Supplies Minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao, Tourism Minister RK Roja, former Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, BC Welfare, I and PR and cinematography minister Chelluboina Venugopal Krishna, IT and Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath visited temple along with their family members. Temple officials and priests welcomed the ministers as per temple honours such as purna kalasam and traditional drums.
Temple executive officer (EO) D Bramarambha accompanied the ministers during the darshan of the presiding deity and priests blessed them. EO presented portraits of Goddess Kanaka Durga and laddu prasadams to the ministers.
Speaking to media persons, the ministers expressed their happiness for inducting in the new cabinet and thanked Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for reposing trust in them. Endowments Minister Kottu Satyanarayana said that a meeting will be convened soon to review Durga temple development works.