Tirupati temple | Naidu hunts for all-powerful post of TTD chairman

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chanddrababu Naidu is looking for a new chairman to head the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), an independent trust which manages various temples including the cash-rich Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala, Tirupati, popularly referred to as the 'Tirupati temple'.

Official sources told The Federal there are many aspirants in the race for the coveted post. And, with the Jana Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backing the Naidu government, names put forth by them are in the reckoning, too.

Among the top contenders for the post is former Union minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

Post-election resignation

The post fell vacant after Bhumana Karunakar Reddy tendered his resignation as TTD chairman following the loss of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in June.

Frontrunner Raju?

The grapevine has it that Naidu favours Gajapathi Raju for the TTD chief post thanks to his eminent political career. A seven-time MLA, Raju held many ministries in the Andhra Pradesh government, and enjoyed a Mr Clean image.

TTD sources say that Kammas and Dalits are the only communities which have not held the top TTD post till date. It is not clear if the caste factor will play a role in the selection of the new chairman.

Arani Srinivasulu, Jana Sena Party MLA from Tirupati, belongs to the Balija (Kapu) community. This may rule out a candidate from his caste. Party members from the Kapu, Reddy, Kshatriya and BC communities have held the post earlier.

Therefore, the TTD chief post this time might be picked from the Kamma or Dalit communities, it is speculated.

Cash-rich trust

The Tirupati temple's income has zoomed over the decades, making it one of the richest shrines in the world.

The trust, with an estimated budget of Rs 5,100 crore, is engaged in social, religious, medical, literary as well as educational activities. It is headquartered in Tirupati and employs some 16,000 people.

It also renovates ancient temples and provides funds to temple facing financial difficulty.

Prestigious post

It is also widely known that the TTD chairman enjoys high prestige, and not just in Andhra Pradesh. Prominent visitors to Tirumala from across the country and abroad make it a point to first meet the TTD head.

Naidu, like many politicians, is a staunch devotee of the Lord of Seven Hills, as the God in Tirumala is widely addressed. After taking oath as chief minister, he drove to the hill shrine with his family to offer prayers.