Telangana chief minister KCR glitters in Tirupati temple visit
HYDERABAD: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao got a hero’s welcome at Tirupati, which had once seen massive protests against his Telangana separatist movement.
KCR, as he is better known, landed at Renigunta airport near the temple town with his family members, some of his cabinet colleagues and officials on his way to a darshan of Lord Venkateshwara and to present gold ornaments worth nearly 5.5 crore to the deity to fulfil a vow he had taken during the Telangana movement.
He was given a rousing reception at the airport by Andhra minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy and several TDP leaders, top officials from the district and as a villain. “It was surprising to see the turnout of crowds at the airport to see KCR. The people have realised that the bifurcation of the state has only brought more prosperity to the Andhra region,” Telangana endowments minister A Indrakaran Reddy said.
KCR is scheduled to go to the temple in the early hours of Wednesday, when he would present a Saligrama Haram (lotus model golden necklace), weighing about 14.9 kg, and a five-row Kante (carcanet) weighing 4.650 kg to the deity.
At current prices, the total value of the ornaments is said to be around R5.50 crore.
After darshan at Tirumala, Rao would go to Tiruchanoor near Tirupati and offer prayers to the presiding deity there, and present a nose stud to the goddess.
The entire programme has set off much criticism in political and social circles, as the bill for the ornaments is being footed by the Telangana government, with critics saying the chief minister should do it personally as it was his personal vow.
According to official sources, the expenditure for making the gold ornaments was drawn from the Common Good Fund of the Endowments Department (which is meant for renovation of dilapidated temples) of the state government.