Naidu arrives for darshan of Lord Venkateswara

Tirupati: Former chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu along with his spouse Bhuvaneswari arrived to a tumultuous welcome at the Renigunta airport, 20 km from here on Thursday. A huge number of party activists, including former ministers, MLAs, party functionaries, constituency in-charges from Chittoor, Nellore and also neighbouring districts tuned up at the airport where the crowd jostled to go near Naidu, after he came out of the airport to proceed to Tirumala for darshan. Police and security staff had a tough time in containing the surging party cadres who were relentlessly chanting ‘Jai Babu Jai Jai Babu’. Jana Sena Party leaders and activists from various districts also joined in welcoming Naidu at the airport adding more to the milling crowd at the airport.

As it was Naidu’s first visit to his native district since his release from the prison after his 52-day-long judicial custody in the alleged Rs 371 crore AP skill development case, party leaders and activists including Telugu Yuvatha, Telugu Mahila gathered in strength to accord a rousing welcome to their leader. Women who gathered in big numbers offered Harati and applied tilak to him amidst loud sloganeering by the young activists adding more to the tempo. Naidu enthusiastically greeted the crowd by waving his hand. Party activists who were lined up almost all along the route from airport to Alipiri in Tirupati waved their hand and loudly cheered him all along the 20 km route.

At several places, Naidu’s convoy was halted by enthusiastic party activists who gathered in good numbers to welcome him, before his entourage reached Tirumala. A host of leaders including former minister N Amarnatha Reddy, ex MLA M Sugunamma, Pulivarthy Nani, JSP district president Pasupuleti Hari Prasad, Kiran Royal and others were among those who welcomed Naidu.

Party sources said Naidu after an overnight stay in Tirumala will visit the shrine on Friday morning to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara.