Tirumala controversy: Andhra CM tears into BJP

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of brewing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) controversy.

Dubbing the entire episode as fabricated Chief Minister Naidu told ANI, “It is totally false and fabricated, I condemn it. There were two commissions who have verified everything earlier about the gold and the diamonds. But now these people (BJP) are saying that the gold and the diamonds are missing. Now the BJP is asking for a CBI enquiry. This is a conspiracy.”

“They (BJP) have told that they want to take over Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to protect the monument. Who are they? It belongs to the Andhra Pradesh government and it is being managed well”,’ he said.

The Chief Minister further said that the BJP will have to bear the brunt for doing injustice with Andhra Pradesh.

“The TDP always reviews the political situation of the country, in that context we have analysed that due to the injustice done with Andhra Pradesh and their performance at Centre, there is no chance that the BJP is coming to power again, regional parties are going to strengthen,” Chief Minister Naidu added.

The political slugfest began after sacked head pontiff, Dr A.V. Ramana Deekshitulu accused the TTD and the state government of a range of issues.

On 15 May, he made three crucial allegations against the temple authorities-that they had violated several “puja” rituals so as to suit VIP darshans, that they had conducted secret excavations inside the temple and that they covered up the disappearance of valuable ornaments including an invaluable ruby donated to the Lord.

ANI