Political Diary

Accusing the state government of turning the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board into a political asylum centre, Praj Rajyam president K Chiranjeevi on Monday said he would petition both the President and Prime Minister on the Lord's missing jewels and wayward functioning of the TTD Board. He said the highest office in the country would be approached with all sincerity seeking its intervention into the affairs of the TTD, as the sequence of events and the irresponsible attitude of the officials had affected the sensibilities of crores of believers. "The state government is trampling upon public sentiment by nominating people with doubtful credentials to the TTD board. One of the members even has cases pending against him. How can the government do this?" he asked. Speaking to the media, Chiranjeevi said, "Lack of responsibility on the part of the TTD was resulting in doubts being raised over the safety and security of the offerings made by devotees. The state government's irresponsible reply is the Assembly is adequate proof of the degenerating state of affairs at Tirumala and the TTD board. There is serious concern among the general public about the sanctity at Tirumala, in the wake of a series of serious administrative lapses, lack of auditing over the past three years and allegations of precious jewels going missing," he observed.