The CM-designate prays at Tirumala, and at Pedda Dargah and CSI Church in Kadapa

Chief Minister-designate Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy offered prayers at the temple of Lord Venkateswara here on Wednesday.

Mr. Reddy was on his maiden visit to the temple after leading his party to a landslide victory in the elections.

Takes the queue line

Clad in traditional silk ‘dhoti’ and white shirt, Mr. Reddy preferred to reach the temple along the Vaikuntham queue like any other devotee.

He obliged to the request of the Srivari Seva volunteers to apply ‘namam’ on his forehead.

While TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal accompanied him all the way into the temple from the guest house, Tirumala-based JEO K.S. Srinivasa Raju received him at the Vaikuntham complex.

Mr. Reddy stood in front of the presiding deity for about 10 minutes and offered prayers.

The chief priest honoured him with ‘Sesha vastrams’ of the deity.

As he went round the precincts of the temple, the priests explained him the significance of the deity and importance of the temple town.

Later, at the Ranganayakula Mandapam inside the temple, the priests showered ‘vedasirvachanams’ on Mr. Reddy. The authorities presented him a memento and ‘laddu prasadam’.

As Mr. Reddy emerged out of the temple complex, the pilgrims, who were waiting patiently till then, greeted him with loud cheers. Mr. Reddy responded with folded hands.

Later, after having breakfast at the Padmavati guest house, Mr. Reddy motored down to Tirupati and left for his native Kadapa district.

In Kadapa

Special Correspondent in Kadapa writes:

On reaching Kadapa by a special aircraft at 11.15 a.m., Mr. Reddy, wearing the traditional red headgear, visited the Pedda Dargah in the heart of the city and offered ‘chadar’. Later, he took a chopper to reach Pulivendula, where he offered prayers at the CSI Church.

Rayalaseema CSI Church bishop B.D. Prasada Rao, Pulivendula church chief priest Ben Hur and priests from the Pulivendula division participated in the special prayers and blessed Mr. Reddy and his cousin Y.S. Avinash, who was re-elected as Kadapa MP.

His family members Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy, Y.S. Prakash Reddy, Y.S. Joseph Reddy, Y.S. Manohar Reddy and E.C. Gangi Reddy were present.

Later, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy took the chopper to reach Idupulapaya at 2.15 p.m. At his family estate, Mr. Reddy garlanded the statue of YSR and prayed at his ‘samadhi’.

He later flew back to the Kadapa airport, from where he took the special aircraft to reach Vijayawada.

On his arrival at Kadapa, Mr. Reddy was formally received by Collector Ch. Hari Kiran and SP Abhishek Mohanty at the airport. The district officials were also introduced to him.

The newly-elected YSR Congress Party MLAs cheerfully shook hands with Mr. Reddy.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kurnool range) Nagendra Kumar and Rajya Sabha member V. Vijay Sai Reddy were among others who received him.