TIRUPATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday evening presented traditional silk robes to Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy as part of the Srivari Salakatla Brahmotsavams in Tirumala. The AP CM, who was on a day’s visit to Delhi since Tuesday evening, landed at the Renigunta airport on Wednesday evening and headed straight to Tirumala.

Wearing a traditional white dhoti and sporting ‘thirunaamam’ besides a turban, the chief minister took the long staircase to descend and enter the sanctum sanctorum for a darshan and worship of the Lord. A TTD team comprising temple priests, Chairman Y V Subba Reddy and EO Anil Kumar Singhal who accompanied the CM, accorded traditional welcome to YS Jagan before the chief minister and members of his entourage worshipped the presiding deity amid chanting of vedic mantras.

The AP CM earlier participated in the Garuda Seva, the most important ritual of the Srivari Brahmotsavams during which the processional deity is paraded in the ‘Four Maada Streets’ on a palanquin. The chief minister unveiled on this occasion a calendar and a diary printed by the TTD.

Before the darshan at the main temple, YS Jagan also paid a visit to the Bedi Anjaneya Swamy temple and offered prayers. The chief minister will be staying overnight at the Padmavati Guest House in Tirumala. On Thursday morning, he will again have a darshan of the Lord along with Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. After gracing the Sundara Kanda recitation programme at Naada Neerajanam, the two chief ministers will lay the foundation stone for the proposed Karnataka Charities Cottages to be built on Tirumala. Later, at 10:20 am, YS Jagan will fly back from Renigunta to Gannavaram.

Videoconference Meeting With PM Modi

Prior to his visit to the temple, CM YS Jagan participated in a videoconference meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Annamayya Bhavan. The meeting was organized with the chief ministers of seven states to review the COVID-19 situation. Home Minister Sucharita, Chief Secretary, DGP and other senior officials of the state were also present at the meeting.

Earlier in the evening, upon his arrival at the Renigunta airport, the chief minister was accorded a warm reception by a galaxy of ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs of the YSRCP.

During his Delhi visit, CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jala Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and others and discussed matters related to the central assistance that Andhra Pradesh is supposed to receive as part of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.