TIRUPATI: TTD Board member and former Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi assumed charge as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Tirupati Parliament president on Monday at a programme held in Tirupati.

Outgoing president G Narasimha Yadav formally handed over responsibilities in the presence of Sarvepalli MLA and party senior leader Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Tirupati Parliament general secretary C Divakar Reddy, former MLA M Sugunamma and other senior leaders.

Speaking to the media after taking charge, Lakshmi expressed her gratitude to TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, national general secretary Nara Lokesh and State party president Palla Srinivas for reposing faith in her and entrusting her with the responsibility. She said she would treat the post not merely as a position but as a responsibility, and would work in coordination with party leaders while ensuring justice to grassroots workers.

Lakshmi said the NDA coalition government in the state was moving forward with priority to public welfare and good governance. Emphasising that discipline, unity and public service were the core strengths of the TDP, she said party programmes would be taken more strongly to the people in the coming days.

MLAs Nelavala Vijayasri and Sunil Kumar, Tirupati Corporation Deputy Mayor RC Munikrishna, Tirupati Parliament vice-president Yashwanth Reddy, Rayalaseema media coordinator B Sridhar Varma, Tirupati Tatayya Gangamma Temple chairman N Mahesh Yadav and several party leaders and activists were present at the event.