With Jagan's blessings, Ramana may return to TTD

The implementation of superannuation for head priests in the country's richest temple in Tirumala has returned to haunt the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that manages the temple's affairs.

Former chief priest Dr AV Ramana Deekhsitulu met Chief Minister (elect) YS Jaganmohan Reddy in Tirumala and urged him to reinstate him by scrapping TTD's order which was one of the promises made by the YSRCP chief to Brahmins during the elections.

While Jagan asked him to meet him at the temple on Wednesday, the former chief priest complained that he was not welcome at the temple.

On Wednesday morning, Jaganmohan Reddy spoke to Anil Kumar Singhal, the executive officer of TTD, in the presence of Deekhsitulu but the outcome of the discussion was not made public.

Deekhsitulu, along with two other priests, lost their coveted posts after TTD decided to implement the 65-year-old age-limit rule. Deekshitulu, however, believes that it was his press conference in Chennai about the alleged corrupt practices going on in TTD that prompted the action.

Anil Kumar Singhal had said that he had implemented the 2012 order setting an upper age limit for the 'Meerasidar' Archakas.

“We have selected three more 'Archakas' from the hereditary 'Archaka' families only. This way we have given chance to others to serve the lord. It is wrong to blame us as anti-Brahmin,” Singhal explained.

Deekshitulu was instrumental in the demand for a CBI probe against the outgoing chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu alleging that Naidu actually dug up treasures inside the temple and moved them to his residence.

Deekhsitulu alleged that a valuable pink diamond of the lord was last seen at an auction that took place in Geneva. He says that the records mentioned that the pink diamond was broken when the coins thrown by devotees during 'Garuda Seva' hit the diamond-studded chain.

AV Ramana Deekhsitulu (centre) with CM-elect YS Jaganmohan Reddy and TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal in Tirumala on Wednesday