Telangana polls: Konaipalli temple is KCR's talisman

Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) never filed a single nomination without placing the nomination papers at the feet of Lord Sri Venkateswara at Konaipalli since 1985. KCR will be visiting the temple on Wednesday before proceeding for RDO office in Gajwel to file nominations for the upcoming elections.

“KCR came to this village after NT Rama Rao gave him the B Form in 1985. He spent the night at my home next to the temple and the very next morning he offered prayers at the temple,” Nimma Umareddy, KCR’s classmate told DH. However, KCR continued praying at the small temple and he never looked back after the 1985 elections. He always visited the temple before filing nominations for the Assembly or the Lok Sabha polls.

Brahmadev Tripathi, the temple priest who hails from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, however, will be meeting KCR for the first time on Wednesday. “I joined one and a half years ago through a friend who works at the Sai Temple in nearby Mundrai,” Tripathi said. He believes that the deity here is powerful and that is why the chief minister of the state visits here before every election.

Past vice president of the temple Nimma Kista Reddy said that KCR has sanctioned Rs 3.75 crore for the development of the temple and the deity will be shifted to the newly constructed structure by February 21. Seer Chinajeeyar Swamy will grace the event, the villagers say. The village is now under heavy police protection as the chief minister, and his family, will visit the temple and file his nomination papers for Gajwel seat.

The temple was built by Gudapu Ellareddy with the help of a local medical practitioner who used charge 50 paise from every patient who visited him and donated that amount to the temple. Now the villagers are building a marriage hall which will be attached to the temple.

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