It was an emotional moment for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu when the special monsoon session of the state Assembly concluded on Saturday in Hyderabad, the common capital of Telangana and Andhra. “I think this will be the last session here. Unless the situation warrants, no more session will be held in Hyderabad,” Naidu said.
The next session of the state Assembly would be held in an under-construction building at Velagapudi in Amaravati. The monsoon session had to be adjourned sine die amid ruckus created by opposition parties over Centre's refusal to grant special category status to the state.
After the session, Naidu spent some time on the premises of the legislative assembly, walked two rounds around the building and turned emotional. With moist eyes, he recalled his political career of 38 years, and stood at the seat in the legislative council hall which he had occupied as a minister in the Anjaiah cabinet three and a half decades ago in 1978.
Talking about his political journey, Naidu said he wanted to become a member of the legislative council at the age of 23. As he was short of the minimum age, he had to wait till 28 when he was elected to the state assembly.
Naidu was first elected an MLA in 1978 along with K.E. Krishnamurthy. These two leaders are probably the only ones to have served out a full term when the AP Assembly functioned from the old building, until 1983.
Getting nostalgic, Naidu recalled certain incidents and some quotes aimed against him and then did some oral advertising by asking members to taste the milk of the Ongole breed cattle and eat the fruits grown in the orchards from Rayalaseema, stating that they were the sweetest in the world.
