In a democracy both ruling and opposition parties should work together for the benefit of the people. They are only `political opponents’, but not `enemies’. But in Andhra Pradesh it seems it is different.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tried to personally invite out-going chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy for his swearing-in ceremony. Normally it is the duty of the protocol officers. But, Naidu himself telephoned to Jagan seeking to invite him personally.
He telephoned him along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda and several other leaders. Among them all, Naidu failed to speak only with Jagan, who avoided his telephone call. He politely refused to talk with the TDP chief.
Jagan may not like to attend Chandrababu’s swearing-in ceremony. Atleast he may attend his call and convey his greetings. Even he conveyed his congratulatory message on his social media account.
On the same evening, in Odisha BJP’s first government was formed and Mohan Charan Majhi took oath as chief minister, in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and several others.
Among them all, the presence of former Chief Minister of Odisha and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, who served the state as Chief Minister five times continuously, caught the attention of all. In fact, he became the center of attraction there. He went there to bless the new CM and paved the way for a great tradition in politics.
Naveen Patnaik participated in this ceremony and shared the stage with top BJP leaders. After the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Modi went straight to Naveen Patnaik and shook his hand and kissed him for a while. Later all ministers including the CM shook hands with Naveen Patnaik.
However, this tradition is not found in Andhra Pradesh from the beginning. When Chandrababu Naidu was sworn in as the first Chief Minister, after bifurcation in 2014, the then opposition leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy was not present.
Also, Chandrababu did not come to YS Jagan’s swearing-in ceremony in 2019. Recently, when Chandrababu was sworn in as CM, even now Jagan did not attend. But, in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, who served as CM for five consecutive times,