JOIN USAP govt takes over Praja Vedika near Naidu’s residence
YSR Congress Party general secretary and Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s maternal Uncle YV Subba Reddy took oath as 50th Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board on Saturday. Subba Reddy along with his family entered the temple through Vaikuntham Queue Complex. At the designated time of 11.47am, he was administered oath by TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal in the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Venkateswara.
The appointment came through an order signed by special chief secretary Manmohan Singh scrapping the eleven-member Board constituted by the TDP government. The government also accepted the resignations of Sudha Narayana Murthy, Sugavasi Prasad Babu, Rudraraju Padmaraju, E. Peddi Reddy and Dokka Jagannadham, who served as Members of the previous Board. The resignations of N. Srikrishna and Bodanapu Ashok Reddy, who were Special Invitees, were also accepted.
YV Subba Reddy was elected as MP from Ongole in 2014 elections. However, in 2019 elections Jaganmohan Reddy allocated that seat to Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy. While there was a talk of sending Subba Reddy to Rajyasabha, the announcement of the TTD appointment came to light. However, a major controversy erupted in social media suggesting that Reddy was a devout Christian like his nephew Jagan. Posts appeared saying that he is converted Christian.
Subba Reddy denied the allegations. In an interview with a TV channel he said that he was a born Hindu will die a Hindu. “This smear campaign hurt me deeply,” he said. He said that he regularly visits Shirdi and Sabarimala. “Those who want see for themselves can visit my residence either in Hyderabad or in Ongole to see whom I pray,” Subba Reddy said showing a chain with Sri Venkateswara pendant.
Setting out his priorities, Subba Reddy told media after taking oath as chairman that he will ensure that every single penny earned by the temple will be spent judicially. “Priority will be to ensure that a hassle free darshan is provided to the common devotee,” he said.
However, the transition was not smooth as the outgoing TTD Chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav refused to quit after YSRCP won the elections. He tendered resignation only after the state Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, on his visit to Tirumala threatened to remove the trust board members with the help of an ordinance.