Even as the controversy over the appointment of Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju as the chairperson of MANSAS (Maharaja Alak Narayan Society of Arts and Sciences) Trust and Simhachalam Devasthanam Trust Board continues to rage, the Jagan government hurriedly brought in a new GO to remove senior TDP leader Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the chairman of a group of temples in East Godavari.
As per the GO, the Jagan government has appointed Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju as the new chairman of the group of temples in East Godavari.
Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju is the daughter of former MP P Ananda Gajapathi Raju, elder brother of senior TDP leader and ex-Union minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
In the politics of vendetta, the Jagan government had already removed Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the chairperson of Simhachalam Devasthanam Trust Board replacing him with his niece Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju triggering a row between the Pusapati families. The MANSAS trust holds more than 14,800 acres of prime lands in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts worth more than Rs 50,000 crore. MANSAS also controls prime lands of 108 temples, including the Simhachalam Devasthanam
Reacting to the Andhra Pradesh government’s latest GO, Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s daughter Aditi Gajapathi Raju lashed out at the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to remove her father as the chairman of a group of temples in East Godavari. “This is a midnight GO brought in only to defame the Pusapati family. The hasty manner in which the GO was brought in raises suspicion. The MANSAS trust was set up by Pusapati families with high principles and ideals. The trust controls prime lands of 108 temples including the Simhachalam Devasthanam besides several educational institutions. The Andhra Pradesh government’s decisions are only to defame the Pusapati family and the high principles and values of the  MANSAS rust,” she said,
Further, Aditi Gajapathi Raju the Andhra Pradesh government was eyeing the properties of the Pusapati family, especially those which are under the  MANSAS Trust and Simachalam Devasthanam assets. “Simachalam Devasthanam has more than Rs 123 crore in FDs in various banks, while the MANSAS Trust has more than Rs 110 crore in FDs. The controversial move of the government to remove my father is to defame our family, and also usurp our properties,” Aditi Gajapathi Raju alleged.