Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna created a flutter in government and political circles by occupying Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s chair at the CM’s camp office here on Wednesday.
Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and senior IAS officials remained mute spectators as the MLA quite unwittingly occupied the CM’s chair. Mr. Umamaheswara Rao sat in a seat close to the MLA, who conducted the review meeting on the Lepakshi festival pertaining to his constituency in Anantapur district.
Mr. Balakrishna said cine actors such as Hemamalini would attend the two-day festival. Indian percussionist Sivamani would be a special attraction on second day of the festival. Cine stars such as Mahesh Babu were also invited
Five zones
Entire programme was divided into five zones — main venue, cultural, felicitations, bazaar zone and food. Kho-kho, kabaddi, etc traditional games would be conducted. The government had already released ₹2 crore for the festival, he said.
The government earlier thought of conducting the festival on February 24 and 25. Now it is rescheduled to March 9 and 10.
Secretary (Tourism) Mukesh Kumar Meena, APTDC Managing Director Himanshu Shukla, Roads and Buildings Special Chief Secretary Neerab Kumar Prasad, Anantapur Joint Collector Ramamani and others were present.
