President Maithripala Sirisena has invited India’s Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu as guest of honour at the second anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka’s National Unity government, The Hindu reported.

In a recent letter to Mr. Naidu from President Sirisena’s secretary, it was conveyed that Sri Lanka would launch a poverty alleviation programme in 2017, prioritising ‘science, technology and innovation’ in leapfrogging development.

Commending Mr. Naidu for his own efforts “in fighting poverty and bringing innovation close to the lives of people,” the President has invited Mr. Naidu to speak on the theme “prosperity to all.”

Mr. Sirisena unseated former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka’s January 2015 presidential elections, following an unexpected defection by Mr. Sirisena to a coalition of Opposition parties, including Tamil and Muslim parties.

Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi participated in the first anniversary of the unity government, with President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at its helm.