HYDERABAD: Kanumuri Bapiraju is eyeing a second term as Tirumala
Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman even as he faces stiff competition
from senior Congress leaders who are also leaving no stone unturned to
bag the coveted post. The term of the present trust board headed by
Bapiraju ends next month. Though the TTD chairman has a two-year term,
the government gave him only one-year term last year after the
devasthanams was embroiled in several controversies with the specified
authority managing the affairs of the richest temple for some time.
Sources said the chances of Bapiraju getting a second term were bright as his tenure was non-controversial, if not effective. "None of Bapiraju's predecessors had a smooth sailing as their names cropped up in controversies and scams. But Bapiraju has so far managed to run the board smoothly by putting his foot down where it mattered the most," a TTD insider said. Sources said Bapiraju had been in constant touch with Union minister Chidambaram and new president Pranab Mukherjee. Pranab reportedly called up Bapiraju and asked him to rush to Delhi with Lord Venkateswara's famous laddu prasadam ahead of his swearing-in as the 13{+t}{+h} President on Wednesday morning. "Bapiraju is confident about getting an extension owing to his proximity to Congress president Sonia Gandhi," a senior TTD official told TOI. Bapiraju was much in news for the goof up in issuing thousands of passes to VIP pilgrims during Ekadasi celebrations in January this year, forcing some MLAs to complain to the assembly speaker on the 'quota' system for the VIPs.
Sources said the chances of Bapiraju getting a second term were bright as his tenure was non-controversial, if not effective. "None of Bapiraju's predecessors had a smooth sailing as their names cropped up in controversies and scams. But Bapiraju has so far managed to run the board smoothly by putting his foot down where it mattered the most," a TTD insider said. Sources said Bapiraju had been in constant touch with Union minister Chidambaram and new president Pranab Mukherjee. Pranab reportedly called up Bapiraju and asked him to rush to Delhi with Lord Venkateswara's famous laddu prasadam ahead of his swearing-in as the 13{+t}{+h} President on Wednesday morning. "Bapiraju is confident about getting an extension owing to his proximity to Congress president Sonia Gandhi," a senior TTD official told TOI. Bapiraju was much in news for the goof up in issuing thousands of passes to VIP pilgrims during Ekadasi celebrations in January this year, forcing some MLAs to complain to the assembly speaker on the 'quota' system for the VIPs.
