Bapiraju reluctant to leave TTD crown

TIRUMALA: The government is taking steps towards constituting a new trust board of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Though some of the members of the board constituted by the previous Congress government resigned with the new government coming to power, some others, including chairman Kanumuri Bapiraju, are continuing as members.

According to sources in the TTD, the government is likely to terminate the present body and constitute a new one by an ordinance. The term of the present board is till August 18 and the government has started its exercise to constitute a new body.

TDP senior leader and former MLA Chadalawada Krishna Murthy is likely to head the trust board as chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu had promised him the post for sacrificing the Tirupati Assembly seat.

Krishna Murthy had to withdraw claim to the Assembly seat to sitting MLA M Venkataramana who had quit the Congress and joined the TDP just before the elections. To pacify him, Naidu promised Krishna Murthy the coveted TTD Trust Board chairman post.

The government is believed to have asked Bapiraju to step down before he completes his tenure but he was reluctant to leave the post. Even a BJP leader, who is a close relative of the TTD chairman, tried to prevail upon the government to let Bapiraju continue till his term ends.

Endowments minister P Manikyala Rao has made it clear that the chairman has to quit as he was appointed by the previous government but Bapiraju stood firm.

Sources in the TTD said that the government can issue a GO terminating the term of the chairman or can form a new board and appoint a chairman and fix the new board's term, rendering the existing board abolished automatically.

Alternatively, the government can issue an ordinance cancelling the appointment of the present chairman and constitute a new chairman and trustees.

Sources close to the affairs of the TTD said an ordinance is likely to be issued soon to constitue a new body. Bapiraju is now on a foreign tour and a decision is likely before his return.

The new members, whose names have been finalised, include BJP leader from Tirupati G Bhanuprakash Reddy, who has the blessings of Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, and film director K Raghavendra Rao.

Two persons from North India are also likely to be taken on the board. Another member from the Gokaraju Ramaraju family from East Godavari district may also be included as a member.

It is also learnt that the government is likely to increase the strength of the trust board. 'The government has asked us about the rule position to increase the number of members from 11 excluding three ex officio members and a member from the Tirupati Urban Development Authority,'' said a senior official.

Already Resigned

Kondru Kamala (MLA, Mangalagiri, Guntur)

Pamula Rajeswari (MLA, Gannavaram, East Godavari)

Raji Reddy (MLA, Uppal, Hyderabad)

GV Srinath Reddy, politician

Chittori Ravindra, politician

Still Continuing

M Venkataramana (MLA, Tirupati)

Kannaiah, Railway Mazdoor Union leader

Rebala Srinivasulu

Deshpandey, Karnataka

Siva Prasad, relative of Chiranjeevi