Amaravati, June 18 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday arrived at the State Secretariat here to a warm welcome by his Cabinet colleagues and officials.
On his first visit to the Secretariat after being appointed as Deputy Chief Minister, the actor-politician made a courtesy call on Chief Minister Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Naidu welcomed Pawan Kalyan by hugging him and offering a bouquet. He also visited his chambers in the Secretariat.
Pawan Kalyan, who has been allocated the portfolios of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development & Rural Water Supply; Environment, Forest, and Science & Technology, will assume office on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by two other ministers from Jana Sena – Nadendla Manohar and Kandula Durgesh.
The Jana Sena leader was earlier accorded a warm welcome on arrival in Amaravati. Farmers of Amaravati village, Jana Sena workers, and fans greeted Pawan Kalyan by showering petals. It was like a roadshow as the Deputy Chief Minister, who was standing in a car and looking out of the sunroof, responded to the grand welcome by waving at the crowd. He was garlanded by deploying a crane.
Amaravati farmers, who are elated with the new hopes of construction of the state capital following the formation of the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP government, had accorded a similar welcome to Chandrababu Naidu last week when he was heading to the Secretariat to assume office.
Pawan Kalyan had backed the Amaravati farmers during their protest after the previous government of the YSR Congress Party had decided to develop three state capitals.
Earlier, the Jana Sena leader was accorded a rousing reception on his arrival at Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada. This was his first visit after taking oath on June 12. He later visited a government building in Vijayawada, which will be his camp office (official residence). Pawan Kalyan will reside on the upper floor while the ground floor will serve as his office. There is also a meeting hall abutting his office.
He suggested a few changes in the premises and left for Jana Sena’s head office.
In the recent elections, the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance stormed to power with a landslide majority. The alliance won 164 Assembly seats in the 175-member House. The alliance bagged 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The Jana Sena won all 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats it contested. The party was given three Cabinet berths. Manohar is the Minister for Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs while Durgesh will look after Tourism, Culture & Cinematography.
–IANS
ms/vd
