SEEMANDHRA Naidu mulls TTD chairman post to placate upset Bojjala

The state government appears to be toying with the idea of appointing Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy as the TTD Trust Board chairman to placate him after he was stripped of his Cabinet post during the recent reshuffle.

While satisfying Mr Reddy, who is a close aide of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the move could also lure the Reddy community to the Telugu Desam and keep the reported discontent among his old-time followers in Chittoor under check.

Responding to these reports, Mr Reddy said that he will do whatever the Chief Minister asks him to do.

Though the tenure of the current trust board and chairman Chadalawada Krishna Murthy ended on Wednesday, the state government failed to appoint the new body as there was an intense pressure different groups on CMO for the most coveted post among devout Hindus.

As an interim measure, the government may appoint a specified authority to run the temple administration and appoint the new trust board and chairman in a week.

The former minister, however, faces a tough competition from two prominent leaders — TD MPs Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and Maganti Murali Mohan — for the prestigious post.

Narasaraopet MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao has enlisted the support of his community members to exert pressure on the Chief Minister to appoint him as TTD chairman, his lifetime ambition to serve TTD. Mr Rao appears to have lobbied with Mr Naidu seeking the retirement post at the trust board as he is not keen to contest the coming elections due to his advanced age.

Rajamahendravaram MP and actor Maganti Murali Mohan is also keen on becoming the TTD Trust Board chairman. Murali Mohan, who is a close confidant of the Chief Minister, is trying his level best to get nominated to the post. He, however, did not respond to the request for a comment.