If there is any position of power in Andhra Pradesh that is more sought after than a cabinet berth, it is the post of chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), an autonomous body responsible for the administration of the country’s richest temple.
Nearly five months after coming to power, the Chandrababu Naidu government has appointed media baron B R Naidu as the chairman of the TTD board.
B R Naidu is the founder and head of TV 5, a popular Telugu satellite news channel, largely seen as a supporter of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The government has constituted a new TTD Board with 24 members. B R Naidu hails from the same district of Chittoor as chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. Former chief justice of India, H L Dattu from Karnataka also found a place in the newly formed TTD Board as a member.
Apart from Andhra Pradesh, the new TTD Board has members from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Darshan RN, Naresh Kumar from Karnataka, Dr Adit Desai from Gujarat, Saurabh H Bora from Maharashtra are the other members. Krishna Murthy and P Ramoorthy from Tamil Nadu and Bharat Biotech's Suchitra Yella were also appointed as members in the newly constituted TTD Board.
The much-awaited appointments come in the backdrop of an embarrassing controversy over adulteration of the iconic Tirupati Laddu, following a lab report confirming that a consignment of cow ghee used in the making of the prasadam contained animal fat. The Supreme Court had appointed a CBI-monitored SIT to probe into the case.
“As a person who hails from the same region, I have a deep-rooted connection to Tirumala temple. As I have a fair understanding of the devotees' sentiments, I would strive to bring transparency, accountability, and the welfare of pilgrims during my tenure as TTD Chairman. I see this as a great opportunity to serve the Lord, and I thank the chief minister, deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, and NDA leaders for it. I aim to correct past mistakes, enhance the temple's infrastructure, and make darshan' more accessible to the common man,” said B R Naidu.
Three persons recommended by the actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan too found place in the TTD Board as members. The chief minister also accepted a few recommendations from its ally, the BJP.
Membership in the TTD Board that manages the affairs of the world-famous Tirumala temple of Lord Venkateswara is considered prestigious and always has demand, with recommendations coming from faraway power corridors across the country whenever a new Board is constituted every two years.
With an annual budget of over Rs 5,100 crore, the Tirumala Board is a high-profile and influential body. The chairman and board members are appointed by the government.
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