Six ministers, including deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, were absent from the Andhra Pradesh state cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, according to sources.
The cabinet meeting was held amid reports that several ministers could not attend due to various personal and official reasons.
Pawan Kalyan and civil supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar reportedly skipped the meeting as they were busy with preparations for the Jana Sena Party foundation day celebrations.
Meanwhile, ministers Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Vangalapudi Anitha, and T G Bharath informed the government that they would be unable to attend the cabinet meeting due to health reasons.
Another minister, N M D Farooq, was absent as he was observing his wife’s death anniversary rituals.
Pawan Kalyan has also skipped the two-day collectors’ conference held on Wednesday and Thursday for his own reasons.
Though he has cancelled the state-wide rally at Pithapuram on March 14 on the occasion of party foundation day owing to heat wave conditions, he stayed away from the collectors’ meeting and cabinet meeting.
Pawan Kalyan has directed party cadres to organise various service activities on the occasion, including blood donation camps, food distribution programmes and plantation drives.