Tirupathi: For the first time in the history of the world famous Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam Board (TTD), an autonomous entity of trust formed to take care of the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala has been dragged into the dirty politics of political parties. The ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh has nominated two of its party MLAs from Telangana – G Sayanna, MLA from Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly Constituency, and Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, MLA from Sattupalli Assembly Constituency in Khammam district.
The party’s Sattupalli MLA was named as one of the accused in the Cash for Vote case, by the Telangana State Anti-Corruption Bureau, in which the TDP tried to purchase a TRS party nominate MLA Elvis Stephenson, to seek his vote in favor of TDP nominated candidate in MLC elections. And, for being close to the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, he was made as a member of TTD.
The Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G Sayanna too was nominated as a member of the TTD by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. But, now, after switching his loyalty to TRS, while joining, Sayanna said that he would not write letter, or attend any of the board meetings of the TTD.
Now, the TDP is contemplating to show door to Sayanna from the TTD board membership. But, according to official sources, unless there are any complaints against a particular member, there is no provision like passing a government order to remove a member of the TTD. They pointed out it was because of this difficulty, the TDP after coming to power could not remove the then TTD Board Chairman Kanumuri Bapi Raju, who was appointed by the Congress party. Though the TDP tried to remove him by issuing a GO, the government was taken to court alleging that it has no right to remove a chairman before completion of his term of two years, unless there were complaints against him. As such now the TDP, though wanted to remove Sayanna, it had left with no other option but to wait till 2017, that is until completion of his term. Even the TRS that admitted him too has reportedly not asked him to resign to his TTD Board membership.
