Guntur: Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu skipped the 6th Indian Youth Science Congress inauguration event scheduled at Acharya Nagarjuna University on Monday. He had stayed away from the ANU campus on earlier occasions too, during the oath-taking ceremony and Teachers’ Day programme.

This gives rise to speculation whether Mr Naidu stayed away from the event because of a bizarre superstition that any CM who visits ANU, loses his office soon.

Dismissing such claims, the Cabinet ministers claimed that Mr Naidu was tired after taking part in the hectic walkathon.

MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and ANU had organised the Science Congress and according to the organisers, Mr Naidu had agreed to attend inaugural function. Gate No. 2 was reserved for the entry of CM’s convoy. Even, huge banners welcoming the CM were put up at various places near the gate.

Meanwhile, Union minister of state for science, technology and earth sciences Y. Satyanarayana (Sujana) Chowdary said that Mr Naidu deputed him to attend the Science Congress and there was no “vaastu reasons” behind Mr Naidu not attending the event at ANU. Agriculture minister P. Pulla Rao said that Mr Naidu conducted a walkathon till 2 am on Sunday and continued the same on Monday for which he was tired.